Jack, I agree, we need some of LO thinking here in Portland-especially concerning the need for voter approval for urban renewal areas. Gresham requires urban renewal approval from voters, hopefully LO will join them, then us.

There has been some discussions from other taxing entities such as fire districts and school districts that are beginning to see the millions of dollars extracted from their budgets because of urban renewal. Some politicians have discussed this issue and I believe it's time has come. Now we need the media to explain in full and simple details how urban renewal is affecting so many of our cities (even rural airports now).

Urban renewal has been exordinarily misused even as presently defined by state statutes. We need better definition from our state legislature as well as voter approval.

Actually, state law requires that cities disclose how much urban renewal is draining from tax revenues for basic services. Portland brazenly refuses to comply, and nobody seems to care.

Voting on Urban Renewal has been fully corrupted. As demonstrated by Gresham, Tigard and Wilsonville.
The willingness of municipal leaders to blatantly lie to the populous on many aspects of the proposed schemes renders any vote nothing but a con job rubber stamp.
Never making clear that UR funding diverts huge amounts of future basic service dollars, which will need replacing, Tax Increment Financing advocates cook up all sort of falsehoods to get it past voters.
The press picks up the con job and runs with it delivering every piece of the propaganda.
In Tigard, their city attorney claimed ALL the revenue would come from the new development, spurred by the plan. So wrong this is, someone should be prosecuted. In today's O, Tigard officials claim their unfolding UR plan will reduce congestion. Again, we need prosecutors.
During the "campaign" officials claimed school funding would not be reduced when it does, claimed that other taxing jurisdictions supported the plan when they did not and claimed the plan was a 20 year $22 million plan when it is a 28+ year $39+ million plan.
Literally every angle involved dishonesty.
Same goes for Wilsonville's voter approved Urban Renewal for their Villebois "urban village".
Urban Renewal has become nothing but a wildly abused municipal credit card which must be paid back with property taxes meant to pay all the regular basic service bills. Interest, decades and replacement revenue are needed to deal with the abuse. Along the way, as with Portland at times and Wilsonville recently, the debt limit must be raised to borrow greater amounts to cover soaring Urban renewal Project costs.

It's trailer trash city economics, shell game tactics, con job budgets and tax funded cover ups to shield all involved from any consequences.
It seems all city leaders need do is show off the occasional new shinny hot tub and no one bothers to notice it aint paid for and will need some of the house payment, utility bills, and food money to pay it off long after it breaks down.