2 weeks Ago By Amina Rashid
In a move prompting greater public participation in city budgeting, Portland Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney and Councilor Steve Novick have shared insights from a recent poll asking residents about their fiscal priorities. According to a release by Portland's official website, the survey conducted by DHM Research involved 600 participants, focusing on the allocation of the General Fund. This fund is a key component of the city's budget, crucial for sustaining services such as the police force, fire department, parks and recreation, and homeless services.
A critical moment is now faced by the City Council, with budget constraints necessitating tough decisions. Novick illustrated the situation, saying, "All of us politicians, bless our hearts, like to think we know where the public stands on the issues we’re working on." But, given the complexity of the budget issues, they decided not to assume Portlanders' stances.
"So we thought we’d just ask them," Novick added. The findings of the poll are expected to guide Council members as they enter the decisive phase of budget planning.Notably, the poll wasn't just focused on broad funding areas but delved into the more nuanced choices that need to be made within and between these services.
Pirtle-Guiney reflected on the engagement, saying, "People are willing to stand with us and make hard choices." They appreciated that while respondents could select a "don’t know" option, expressing indecision, most Portlanders were prepared to make the definitive calls, underlining a strong civic spirit ready to confront the city's financial dilemmas.With the unveiling of the poll results, there's an air of collective determination, both from Portland's residents and its representatives.
Sharing in this sentiment, Pirtle-Guiney remarked, "Councilor Novick and I look forward to discussing these results with our colleagues in the coming days,” suggesting a collaborative spirit in the Council's approach to the challenges lying ahead. Residents can access the complete poll findings in a summary memo available for download from the city's website, offering transparency to the public as the city navigates its budgetary constraints.Contact details provided alongside the poll's release include names for media representatives, Natalie Sept and Spencer Knowles, who can be reached at natalie.
[email protected] and spencer.knowles@portlandoregon.
gov, respectively, for any further inquiries or details regarding the survey results and the City Council's subsequent steps..
