Portland council to refer $1.40 parks levy to voters after debate over maintenance and oversight

The Portland City Council voted to refer a five‑year local option tax levy for parks to voters in November, approving the measure as amended by an 11‑0 roll call. The levy would raise $1.40 per $1,000 in assessed value — $1.37 dedicated to parks operations and 3¢ set aside for capital maintenance — and includes new oversight and reporting requirements the council added during a three‑hour special session on July 16.

The levy is intended to sustain current Portland Parks and Recreation operations, keep community centers and recreation programs open, fund daily cleanup and maintenance, and pay for small, targeted capital maintenance such as repairs to bathrooms and playgrounds. "It will fund daily cleanup and maintenance of our parks, small but high impact fixes to park amenities, and our park ranger program to keep these shared spaces healthy, safe, and welcoming," said Sonia Szymanski, acting director of Portland Parks and Recreation.

Why it matters: Council members and bureau leaders said the levy is aimed at avoiding deeper cuts to services after the bureau faced budget reductions this year and to begin addressing a cited capital maintenance backlog the bureau has estimated at roughly $600 million. Supporters say the levy preserves widely used programs such as Summer Free for All and lunch‑and‑play offerings; opponents said voters deserve clearer detail on what the measure will accomplish and worry about additional tax pressure on residents and small businesses.

What council added and required: During the meeting the council adopted several amendments that change the resolution and exhibits that will appear to voters. Among the changes the council approved were language clarifying that certain references mean "capital maintenance" rather than broader "major maintenance," a direction to parks leadership to submit key performance indicators for council approval to form a parks levy performance dashboard (the body approved a clause setting a target deadline but removed a numerical limit on the number of KPIs), and a request that city staff pursue, as appropriate, policy changes to clarify use of system development charges for capacity‑preserving projects. Council also directed that at least one independent audit occur and that a community oversight committee provide regular review and reporting.

Presentation and bureau view: Priya Dhanapal, deputy city administrator for public works, and Szymanski briefed councilors on the final proposal and the budgeting context. Dhanapal said parks has been moved into the Public Works service area and thanked councilors for months of engagement. Szymanski said the rate being referred reflects prior budget restorations and negotiations; she outlined that the levy would support park operations, tree planting and maintenance, ranger staffing, and the continuation of free programming. The bureau described the 3¢ set aside for small‑scale capital maintenance projects (for example, bathroom or roof repairs) as generating roughly $2.1 million per year.

Public testimony: More than two dozen people testified during the public comment period. Supporters included Jessica Green, executive director of the Portland Parks Foundation, who said the measure was "informed and shaped by the public" and pledged to lead a campaign in partnership with community groups. Allie Berman, chair of the Portland Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and John Isaacs of the Portland Metro Chamber also testified in support, with the chamber urging fiscal discipline and stronger public‑private partnerships. Labor representatives, including Rob Martineau of AFSCME Local 1189 and Brian Sotomayor of Laborers Local 483, urged passage and pledged campaign support.

Opponents and concerns: Several speakers urged caution. Karen Chiray, a small business owner, testified: "I'm all taxed out," saying additional levies would burden businesses and residents already struggling with higher costs. Bob Weinstein, speaking for a group calling itself Concerned Citizens, said the ballot title could blur the difference between routine operations and major capital work and asked that the ballot language and the share for capital maintenance be clearer.

Votes on amendments and resolution: During the meeting the council voted on several amendments before adopting the resolution and exhibits as amended. Notable actions the council approved included an amendment to clarify references to "capital maintenance" (adopted), an amendment asking parks to submit key performance indicators for council approval (adopted), and an amendment to pursue clarifying policy changes regarding use of system development charges for capacity‑preserving projects (adopted). A proposal to restrict the 3¢ set‑aside solely to restroom facilities failed. The council then voted to adopt the resolution and exhibits as amended, sending the levy to the November ballot; the final roll call recorded 11 ayes and the resolution was adopted as amended.

What voters will see and next steps: The resolution and exhibits approved by council will be the materials presented to voters; the measure will appear on the November ballot as a five‑year local option levy at $1.40 per $1,000 assessed value if county election officials certify it. Councilors and bureau staff said they expect additional public outreach and reporting during the levy period, including regular updates to the council and reports to the community oversight committee and at least one independent audit of levy spending. Council president opened and closed the special meeting and said the council will return for its regular meeting at 6 p.m., and campaign and implementation planning will proceed in the weeks ahead.