T R
A N S P O R T A T I O N
R
E P O R T
WHY IS PORTLAND EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM?
Traditionally, Portland has relied on our share of the state gas tax to safely operate
and maintain our streets and bridges. There are a number of significant problems
with the state gas tax:
PURCHASING POWER OF THE GAS TAX
IN 1993 VS 2006 DOLLARS
◆ The last increase in the gas tax was in 1993 — the Oregon Legislature
has failed to raise the state gas tax for fourteen years
◆ Oregon’s gas tax is 24 cents per gallon — a fixed amount per gallon fails
to provide any increase to cover inflation
◆ Since the last increase in the state gas tax (1993), transportation costs
have increased over 70% (League of Oregon Cities, 2006)
◆ The distribution formula for the state gas tax results in only 46 cents of
every dollar of gas tax being returned to the Portland region
◆ The revenue from the gas tax has not kept up with the increasing
demand on the system because of the growing population.
CAN WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITH CITY GENERAL FUNDS?
1993 value = $1.00
Allocating more general fund revenue to transportation services would result
in budget cuts to other important city services like fire, parks, and police.
2006 value = 58¢
113
Cents per Gallon
100
100
80
94
71
60
90
62
40
20
35
0
Oregon
Washington
California
Idaho
Nevada
Montana
Utah
Oregon Department of Transportation, January 2007
All auto-related taxes per gallon of gas in the
western states
WAS TOO MUCH OF
TRANSPORTATION'S
MONEY SPENT ON
LIGHTRAIL AND THE
STREETCAR?
The primary source of funding for
Portland's streetcar and lightrail
systems are federal funds. If not
used by Portland, these funds would
have been allocated to another city.
The state constitution restricts the
use of state gas tax revenue for
these types of projects.
WHAT OTHER OREGON CITIES DO TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM
Many other Oregon cities have solved this problem through local gas taxes or street
maintenance fees.
SEPTEM BER
OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS
Join City staff and your neighbors
to review specific transportation
needs and possible solutions in
your neighborhood.
Monday September 10, 7-9pm
Central Northeast Neighborhoods
Community Room
4415 NE 87th Avenue
Monday September 17, 7-9pm
Southwest Portland
Multnomah Center
7688 SW Capitol Hwy.
Tuesday September 18, 7-9pm
Northwest Portland
Friendly House, Keystone Room
1737 NW 26th Avenue
Thursday September 20, 7-9pm
East Portland
East Precinct Community Room
737 SE 106th Avenue
Monday September 24, 7-9pm
Southeast Portland
St. Philip Neri Church-Carvlin Hall
2408 SE 16th Avenue
Tuesday September 25, 7-9pm
Northeast Portland
King Neighborhood Facility
4815 NE 7th Avenue
Thursday September 27, 7-9pm
North Portland
Kenton Firehouse
8105 N Brandon Avenue
Gas Tax Revenue Required to Cover Inflation vs Actual Revenue
Comparison of actual gas tax revenue to revenue if
the gas tax had kept pace with inflation
What are Portlanders Doing to
Solve this Transportation Problem?
A
committee has been formed to help address Portland’s Transportation
problems and solutions. The committee includes over 70 community
leaders from businesses; neighborhoods; bicycle, pedestrian, and transit
communities; elected officials; and the traffic safety community.
The stakeholders committee will guide this process and formulate a funding
package that will be reviewed at the October town hall meetings. The
funding package is being fine tuned through a rigorous audit process.
The stakeholders committee is committed to the following principles:
◆ The proposal will include a specific list of projects
◆ Projects will be spread across the city with benefits in every
neighborhood
◆ New revenues will be selected based on the principles of ”user pays“
and “tax fairness”
◆ Project selection will be based on sound engineering, safety, and
fiscal responsibility
◆ The proposal will include an oversight committee to ensure
efficient project delivery
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?
◆ Endorse the process (you can endorse
the process online at
www.portlandonline.com —
if you request follow-up, a staff person
will call you and discuss additional
opportunities for involvement)
◆ Fill out a survey online at
www.portlandonline.com
◆ Attend an open house or a town hall
meeting (see accompanying schedule
for your neighborhood’s date and time)
◆ Write a letter to your community paper
◆ Invite a member of the Stakeholders
committee to meet with a group
of your neighbors or association
to discuss this issue in detail
For more information visit or phone:
120
w w w. p o r t l a n d o n l i n e . c o m
OC TOB ER
TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Join Commissioner Adams in
reviewing the proposal developed
by the Safe and Sound Streets
Stakeholder Committee.
Tuesday October 16, 7-9pm
Central Northeast Portland
Madison High School
2735 NE 82nd Avenue
Thursday October 18, 7-9pm
Northeast Portland
Jefferson High School
5210 N Kerby Avenue
Monday October 22, 7-9pm
East Portland
Menlo Park Elementary School
12900 NE Glisan
Tuesday October 23, 7-9pm
North Portland
Rosa Parks Elementary
8960 N Woolsey
Wednesday October 24, 7-9pm
Northwest Portland
Metropolitan Learning Center
2033 NW Glisan
Monday October 29, 7-9pm
Southwest Portland
Wilson High School
1151 SW Vermont
Tuesday October 30, 7-9pm
Southeast Portland
Sellwood Middle School
8300 SE 15th
503.823.1394
