A Parks Levy will restore investments in parks and natural areas, and increase access to recreation opportunities for all Portlanders
On July 22, the Portland City Council referred a five-year Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) local option tax levy to the November ballot.
The proposed levy will restore investments in parks, natural areas, and services and will dramatically increase access to recreation opportunities for communities of color, refugees and immigrants, and families experiencing poverty.
The levy "is an opportunity to make sure we continue to serve all Portlanders—and serve them better than we have before,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler, who as Parks Commissioner advanced the funding measure. He added, "This is a critical first step towards fulfilling our shared vision for a more stable parks bureau that can better serve all Portlanders.”
The proposed levy is also critically needed to reopen PP&R facilities and restart recreation programs as our community recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic, closure of community centers and pools, and cancellation of recreation activities have created a multi-million dollar deficit for Portland Parks & Recreation.
Portlanders for Parks launched today to support the levy, and urge Portlanders to vote yes this November.
“The virus and economic downturn have hit all of us hard, but have had a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and Black, Indigenous and communities of color in Portland. This measure will help to ensure that all Portlanders – regardless of race, income, or background – have access to the Parks & Recreation programs we rely on,” says Jenny Glass, Executive Director of the Rosewood Initiative in East Portland.
Photo courtesy of Portland Parks & Recreation
The proposed levy would:
Protect natural areas, and plant more trees in park lands to help to ensure clean water in local rivers and streams;
Restore recreational programs, including fitness, arts, senior programs, youth programs and environmental education;
Improve access for all Portlanders by making our parks cleaner, safer, and more welcoming;
Preserve programs for children experiencing poverty, including a summer playground lunch program, life-saving swim lessons, outdoor camps, and recreation scholarships.
“We recognize the challenges that PP&R faces budget-wise and that communities of color will be disproportionately impacted by further cuts to service,” Tony DeFalco, Executive Director of Verde, wrote in testimony to Council. “We thank PP&R for its leadership to address budget shortfalls and to prioritize equity in utilization of new resources, and look forward to stable and secure funding for our parks system.” Verde also called on PP&R to engage low-income and people of color communities, and incorporate racial equity criteria to guide levy investments.
Before the coronavirus crisis, PP&R was evaluating options for more sustainable funding—options that would fund recreation programs and services for the community without depending on fees that are a hurdle many Portlanders with financial challenges. The proposed levy will not only mitigate the revenue impact of COVID-19, it will also fix this long-standing and inequitable reliance on fees.
“Unless this measure passes, Portland will face considerable challenges to maintaining playgrounds, community centers, restrooms, and more, forcing many closures,” says Randy Gragg, Executive Director of the Parks Foundation. “Without this measure, we will not have the equitable park system the community deserves.”
During City Council’s referral hearing, Portland State University Professor Vivek Shandas shared Google data showing parks have become the single most visited land-use in the region. And others testified to the powerful importance parks are playing as respites in the pandemic, gathering places for the Black Lives Matter movement, and critical habitat and cooling as the planet warms.
"The Covid-19 crisis serves as a stark reminder of how important our parks, natural areas, urban tree canopy and park programs are to the health, well-being and resilience of our communities,” said Portland Audubon Conservation Director, Bob Sallinger. “This levy is urgently needed to ensure that PP&R can continue to provide and expand essential services, equitable access and improve the ecological health of our neighborhoods at a time when those services are both desperately needed and at real risk.”
Photo courtesy of Portland Parks & Recreation
The proposed levy will also prevent further job cuts for the frontline parks workers who care for our parks, and provide recreation services for Portlanders.
“Portland’s recreation programs are crucial in providing free and low-cost opportunities for kids to stay safe and healthy, especially when schools are closed or limiting kids’ access,” says Tom Colett, Lead Field Representative for Laborers’ Local 483, which represents hundreds of workers who work at community centers, SUN schools, and parks and wildlife locations throughout Portland. “But Portland has had to make deep cuts to recreation programs – just at the moment when local families need them most. This measure will help to restore these vital recreation programs.”
LEVY BACKGROUND
The proposed levy rate of .80 per $1,000 will raise an estimated average $48 million per year over five years. For a home with an assessed value of $200,000, the owner would pay about $13 a month.
If you or your organization would like to volunteer or endorse, contact us at levy@portlandpf.org.