City of Portland Community Budget Forums

PLEASE SHOW UP TO SUPPORT FUNDING TO OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS.

The Forums provide you with the opportunity to offer testimony before City Council and express which service priorities are most important to Portland residents for next year’s FY 2013-14 budget which begins July 1, 2013.

ONI, and all city bureaus, were required by Mayor Charlie Hales to submit a 10% cut to each of their budgets. The ONI Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), on which neighborhood and other civic involvement groups are well represented, is proposing ‘add-back’ restoration to those cuts.

Your testimony at these public hearings will indicate to the new Council that there is community support for the restoration of funds for neighborhood and community involvement services.

ONI’s City Council Budget Worksession

2nd hearing for ONI to respond to questions from the City’s Budget Advisory Committee, which includes all Council members, NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.

Friday, April 5

1:15pm-1:45pm

City Hall – Council Chambers

1221 SW 4th Ave.

City of Portland Community Budget Forum

Opportunity to provide testimony before the Mayor releases his proposed budget.

Thurs., April 11

6:30pm-8:30pm

Montgomery Park

2701 NW Vaughn Street

Council hearing for Mayor’s Proposed Budget

Opportunity to provide testimony after the Mayor releases his proposed budget.

Thurs., May 16

6:30pm-8:30pm

City Hall – Council Chambers

1221 SW 4th Ave.

Office of Neighborhood Involvement FY 13-14 budget

What is at stake? – What is proposed to be cut?

• Reduction or elimination of Neighborhood Small Grants program: The program has funded 536 community building grants over seven years totaling $1,025,554 in resources going out to neighborhood associations and other community-based organizations. Due to cuts in previous years the current year’s funding level is down to $93,855 and designated as a one-time allocation, which may be eliminated completely.

• Significant cuts to newspapers and social media communications: Most of the coalitions would likely scale back or eliminate communication allocations to neighborhood associations; coalition staff who provide support for producing websites, newsletters and other targeted outreach materials; and capacity of District Coalitions to produce coalition-wide newsletters and maintain dynamic websites and events calendars.

• Reduction or elimination in neighborhood outreach staff support: Several of the coalitions would scale back FTE dedicated to assisting neighborhood associations with community projects including neighborhood cleanups, summertime events, outreach and membership building, technical assistance on land use and transportation issues, community forums on hot-topic issues and leadership trainings.

• Elimination of two Crime Prevention positions: ONI would lay off two crime prevention specialists reducing the program’s capacity by 17% to respond to community requests for lower level problem-solving issues, trainings, enhanced property safety efforts, and Neighborhood Watch formations.

• Reduction or elimination of East Portland Action Plan program: Pilot program budgeted at $279,692 for organizing communities in outer East Portland to advocate for implementing 268 action items recommended in the East Portland Action Plan with 25% of Portland’s population, 40% of students, and highest immigrant/refugee population. Includes funding for $150,000 in community grants.

• Reduction in services for older adults: Reduction in services for older adults: Elders in Action would receive a cut of $10,333 from ONI resulting in reduction of PTE position, advocate training, materials and supplies and continuing education for civic engagement and participation. Decrease ability to participate and fairly and equitably represent the older adult voice within the City as well as decrease capacity to serve the aging population who are facing challenges with housing, healthcare or elder abuse.

• Reduction in services for people with disabilities: ONI’s Disability Program would receive a $14,000 cut for brochures and mailings for the Additional Needs Registry, a program for those who may need specific disability-related assistance and/or accommodations in the event of a major disaster.

• Reduction in mediation and facilitation services: Resolutions NW would receive a $24,175 cut of approximately .63 FTE resulting in a reduction in case capacity and reduction of volunteer training and support capacity. RNW currently mediates 340 cases per year, which may drop to 280.

• Elimination of free graffiti removal services: $176,775 from the Graffiti Abatement Program that paid for free removal of graffiti. City code requires property owners to remove graffiti within 10 days, which for some property owners is a hardship.

Why investing in civic engagement should be a core City service:

• ONI’s civic engagement programs are succeeding at getting more people involved improving the livability of their neighborhoods and communities.

• Now more than ever investing in people infrastructure is just as critical as brick and mortar projects – if not more so.

• ONI’s mission, goals, programs and services are critical to support the City’s goal of achieving equity in delivery of services.

• Community engagement is increasingly seen as a critical core function of good City governance.

Contact information for City Council members:

Charlie Hales, Mayor
<http://www.portlandonline.com/mayor>

1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 340
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4120
Email: mayorhales@portlandoregon.gov

Amanda Fritz <http://www.portlandonline.com/fritz/?c=49157>

1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 823-3008
Email: amanda@portlandoregon.gov

Nick Fish <http://www.portlandonline.com/fish>

1221 SW 4th Ave, Room 240
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 823-3589
Email: Nick@portlandoregon.gov

Steve Novick

1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 210
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4682
Email: steve.novick@portlandoregon.gov

Dan Saltzman <http://www.portlandonline.com/saltzman/>

1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 230
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (503) 823-4151
E-mail: dan@portlandoregon.gov

For general questions about the forums or accommodations

City Budget documents: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/cbo/60863

How to get involved: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/cbo/57268

Please contact
Ryan Kinsella, City Budget Office
ryan.kinsella@portlandoregon.gov
503-823-6960