Hall Monitor: From the Pot Shop to the Cop Shop

Dirk VanderHart | May 10, 2017

WHEN YOU TORE into this column with your typical voracity last week, reader, you got a pretty good preview of events to come.

You’ll recall I wrote about looming squabbles of Mayor Ted Wheeler’s first budget, and settled on three—Wheeler’s proposed homelessness spending, his $600 million plan for infrastructure projects, and a new public elections program—that seemed particularly ripe.

I was mostly right! In the last week, Wheeler has squared off with Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury—in a courteous but tense exchange—over the $25 million he’s budgeting for shelters and other homelessness help. (Kafoury thinks it should be more.)

He’s also heard concerns from Commissioner Nick Fish about that massive infrastructure proposal, which the commissioner notes hasn’t seen any meaningful discussion before council.

Hall Monitor: From the Pot Shop to the Cop Shop