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.
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