Board approves strategic investment fund plan; Savas votes no over fairness concerns

The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 Feb. 25 to approve strategic investment fund expenditures as presented in Attachment B, a plan that programs a portion of county vehicle-registration revenues for jointly agreed road projects and jurisdictional transfers with cities.

Commissioner Karen Schrader moved to approve the strategic investment fund expenditures; Commissioner Tom West seconded the motion. The board recorded three affirmative votes and one dissenting vote from Commissioner Paul Savas, and the motion passed.

Why it matters: the strategic investment fund was created as part of a countywide vehicle registration fee approved by the board in 2019 and effective January 2020. The presentation said the fee generates about $11.5 million a year; by statute the revenue is split 60% to the county and 40% to cities. County staff described a county-setaside called the strategic investment fund that equals roughly 10% of the county's share (staff estimated about $1 million per year) and is intended for projects that are mutually beneficial to…