Toby finds some of Sam's magic beans in desk drawer
Mayor Char-Lie has sent out the word that he wants some roads paved around Portlandia, but of course, the street department left behind by the Sam Rand Twins has precious little dough for boring stuff like paving. It's too busy paying 25 full-time car hater "planners" to tell everybody to walk and go by streetcar. And so the new sheriff instructs his transportation chief to comb through the budget in search of some resources for asphalt.
You'll never believe what he came back with.
Yep -- $4.5 million in "savings" from the Sellwood Bridge!
Char-Lie's creepy predecessor used to come up with wacky stories like this on a regular basis. But we expected a little better from the grownups who are taking things back over. Why don't they just can a couple of car haters and tweeters? Guess that would alienate Char-Lie's developer buddies, who like the shiny trains.
If you get the impression that public money in this town is a never-ending shell game, you are not alone. And when it's that loosey-goosey, people are bound to be stealing. It's human nature.
| Posted at 7:41 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
Right now I would like to give Hales the benefit of the doubt. It may be that money was parked into a big project just to keep it aside for silly pet projects. Now the new guy is simply pulling it back and putting it where it should go, without having to "out" his predecessor for manipulation. Am I too hopeful?
Posted by gibby | February 21, 2013 8:11 AM
Very simple - If the money is for stuff they want, it is always there and available.
Of course, it comes out of the money for stuff we want which is always bottom priority like education spending in OR.
Posted by Steve | February 21, 2013 8:32 AM
While I like new paving, I hate to see the sidewalk money for SE 136th go away... It's needed there badly.
Posted by Larry Legend | February 21, 2013 8:51 AM
Money left lying around gets picked up. Money left lying where someone knows it's going to be lying--even easier.
Posted by Sam T. | February 21, 2013 9:16 AM
I thought all expenses could come from the Water Bureau.
Posted by Mamacita | February 21, 2013 9:33 AM
What is the status of the transportation dollars (energy efficient streetlight savings) Sammyboy wanted to spend on green energy certificates of participation?
Posted by TR | February 21, 2013 9:48 AM
The line item for 'Boys' in Sam's budget should yield some potential savings.
Posted by RJBob | February 21, 2013 9:58 AM
I agree with Gibby. Adams had eight years to screw things up and leave the mess he handed over to Charlie and Toby. There are numerous incompetent people in charge that will need to be replaced. Toby is moving at light speed. The two audits have pretty much given the green light to significant changes.
Posted by Bill Long | February 21, 2013 10:15 AM
Yes Gibby you are probably too hopeful.
It's best to always assume the worst.
It is more likely that the City of Portland is absconding with funds earmarked for other purposes.
For instance.
Mult Co has Portland's Sellwood bridge share listed as:
$80 million - City of Portland (revenues from the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act)
So that $80 million came from HB 2001 and a state gas tax increase in 2009.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Pages/jta.aspx
House Bill 2001, also known as the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act, is is the transportation funding plan adopted by the 2009 Legislature.
Is the city now taking some of that money allocated for the Sellwood bridge and misappropriating it?
I don't know. That $80 million may be fungible and can be used for anything. Or it was restricted for the Sellwood Bridge and the CoP is playing fast and loose with it because no one would ever face any consequences if they got caught. So why not?
http://multco.us/sites/default/files/budget/documents/tab_8_-_fy_2013_capital_budget_adopted.pdf
fy2013 adopted budget
Page 8
The Sellwood Bridge project...
The plan includes
• $80 million - City of Portland (revenues from the Oregon Jobs and
Transportation Act)
Posted by Anon | February 21, 2013 11:11 AM
Then there MUST be some "savings" from NOT having to do any work associated with the fake punt, "MOUNT HOOD FREEWAY" hiding in some account somewhere.
Posted by ltjd | February 21, 2013 12:01 PM
Must be a high old time these people have with our money, like Monopoly and Easy Money, except now there is no Going to Jail or consequences.
Posted by clinamen | February 22, 2013 8:46 PM