Report back from the BUDGET WORK SESSION, which took place this evening, Wednesday May 31 at 6:00 PM in the Multnomah Building.
A variety of concerned groups and interested citizens came to the Budget meeting on Wednesday evening to speak out against the proposed budget cuts (due to the loss of I-Tax funds). Some of the groups that testified including the Women's Crisis Line, SMYRC (Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center), SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) Schools, SEI (Self Enhancement, Inc.), Portland Impact (Project Independence), DCJ (Department of Community Justice-Juvenile Division), Oregon Community Warehouse, Friendly House Senior Program, Northwest Family Services, Loaves and Fishes, Clara Vista, and a variety of Drug Treatment Programs and Domestic Violence services, and many many others. The proposed cuts would affect appropriations for a variety of safety net/basic needs programs for everything from child development to senior independent living assistance. A surprising number of basic needs that could be cut under the current version of the budget including drug treatment programs, after-school programs, meals on wheels, crisis counseling, gang intervention, and basic needs programs that fill the gaps for people who are not eligible for federal and state assistance. Given that these were funded by the expired I-TAX, there is a very real risk of budget cuts that could seriously limit the good that these programs do in our community, and in worse case scenarios, the programs would cease to exist altogether.
BUDGET HEARING PH-3 Public Hearing on the 2006-2007 Multnomah County Budget. Testimony was limited to three minutes per person, but cut to 2 minutes due to the impressive number of speakers.
(CABLE PLAYBACK INFO: Wednesday, May 31 - 6:00 PM LIVE Channel 29; Saturday, June 3 - 10:00 PM Channel 29; Sunday, June 4 - 1:00 PM Channel 29; Monday, June 5 - 11:30 PM Channel 29)
If you are interested in speaking in front of the county commission on behalf of any programs listed above by all means try to catch the session tomorrow morning (Thursday, June 1, 2006 - 9:00 AM at the Multnomah Building, First Floor Commissioners Boardroom 100, 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland) Don't let your voice go unheard if you care about social services.
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address: County Commissioner's Building 501 SE Hawthorne Ave
out of Sheriff Bernie "Law and Order" Giusto's
bloated budget (and I don't mean jail bed money)?
You remember Bernie, don't you?
Bernie's very, very snuggled up with the feds.
His boys are still very active and willing members of the JTTF.
Bernie's also the Tri-Met board.
He favors elimiating fareless square entirely, so
that you must pay your fare, which then gives the Gestapo
a green light to quiz you for your papers any time they feel
like it. Solely to fight terrorism, he claims...
He's been such an "outstanding" Sheriff, that the
SHEEPLE just re-elected him to another term.
His re-election seemed to get NO press here at indymedia.
I wonder why?