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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2013)
June 2013 NEWS The Southwest Portland Post • 3 Commissioner Fritz visits neighborhood, comments on Portland budget cuts SOUTH PORTLAND By Lee Perlman The Southwest Portland Post Commissioner Amanda Fritz vis- ited the South Portland Neighbor- hood Association last month. As might have been expected Mayor Charlie Hales’ just-released budget was a major topic of conversation. In general, Fritz supported Hales’ choices. While regretting the loss of the Neighborhood Small Grants program, she was relieved that the budget ax did not fall so heavily this year on the Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement and coalitions such as Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc. “After years of losing fingers and toes, it’s nice that we won’t be chopping off arms and legs,” Fritz said of the relatively small cuts to the program. Fritz also supported Hales’ plans for cuts to the Fire and Police bu- reaus, saying, “We can’t balance the budget without” cutting these major bureaus. She also supported Hales’ specific plans. Hales suggested using smaller vehicles and crews, rather than fire trucks, to respond to medical emergencies, which make up a large portion of Fire Bureau calls. With regard to the police, Fritz said, “I think the time for the mounted patrol is past.” This is a popular feature of the force that has survived past budget cuts, but critics say the patrol is expensive to maintain, and does not offer signifi- cant advantages, other than public relations, to other types of patrol. Fritz did take issue with an- other Hales proposal: to transfer the Noise Control Office from the Bureau of Development Services to ONI. Fritz compared this to former City Commissioner Randy Leon- ard’s abortive effort to transform neighborhood offices into provid- ers of government services, rather than the supports for grass roots activism that they currently are. “ONI is not about services or enforcement,” she said. “This is clearly not core to ONI’s mission.” Regarding SUN Schools and other youth-related programs, Fritz said that Hales and County Commission Chair Jeff Cogan are discussing which jurisdiction should fund what services, and that some services may fall through the cracks. “I don’t care who funds them; I just want them funded,” she said. In a related matter, Fritz and PoSt ClaSSifiedS adS Advertise in Post Classifieds! Just $2 per word or $39 per column inch. Email your ad to Don Snedecor at don@ multnomahpost.com or call 503-244-6933. All major credit and debit cards accepted. Deadline is the 20th of the month prior to publication. There is more info at www.SWPortlandPost.com. Help Wanted Freelance Reporter The Post is seeking a freelance writer/ photographer to cover Southwest neighborhood meetings, happenings, etc. E-mail cover letter, up to three clips, and current resume to: Don Snedecor, Publisher, The Southwest Portland Post, don@multnomahpost.com. Snail mail or fax OK. No phone calls, please. Massage Office for Lease Office Space For Lease Multnomah Village. 1000 square feet above 7832 SW Capitol Hwy. 503-295-7889 or 503-880-1408. Massage for Health & Wellness Sports Massage • Hot Stones Reflexology • Relaxation Adv ance d rapy Massage The #39 27 David Klick LMT • Experienced Treatments 503.977.3454 www.advancedlmt.com South Portland members discussed the Southwest Corridor Plan pro- cess, and expressed similar con- cerns and dissatisfactions with it. The Plan is examining the cre- ation of “high capacity transit” – either a light rail or “bus rapid transit” route – extending from downtown as far south as Sher- wood along Southwest Barbur Boulevard or adjacent streets. Metro is in charge of the project, and critics have complained that it is proceeding too fast with insuf- ficient time for public input. For instance, planners have iden- tified 47 public improvement proj- ects that might be undertaken as part of this process and are accept- ing public comment about these, but the projects were culled from a much larger list without public input. When some residents expressed confusion about the current state of the process, Fritz said, “You’re a really invested neighborhood, and the fact that you don’t know what’s going on is a concern to me.” Told that Metro planners may narrow the list of potential options by July, she said, “It’s hard to be- lieve that we need to make a deci- sion by July. A lot of planners went to planning school – they decide among themselves what’s best for City Commissioner Amanda Fritz us, and we’re all supposed to say, ‘Isn’t that lovely.’” Fritz, originally from Leeds, Eng- land, said she had recently gotten lost in the area and had done an “accidental walking tour” of South Portland. “It’s like old London,” Fritz said. “It’s a great old neighborhood that’s had a lot of things done to it. This is a really stalwart neighbor- hood. Thank you for all the work you do.”