"We will quickly file a new initiative to fix a single typographical error and nothing more in the initiative. We are confident we have the time and resources to collect the required signatures to qualify for the ballot."
"The Portland Police union, which has been campaigning for years to beef up its rank-and-file at a cost of millions for taxpayers who have witnessed a flurry of cuts to social services, sees no need to sneak this idea in with a Trojan Horse."
"The program, which levies a 1 percent annual tax on big businesses, was originally expected to generate about $60 million annually, but has quadrupled those earnings since launching in 2018."
Portland Police union attempted to divert funds from the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) to hire 300 additional officers through a ballot initiative. The Coalition of Communities of Color challenged the measure, questioning how police hiring addresses climate change. Judge Eric Dahlin ruled the initiative's language was too ambiguous for November voters. The initiative's backers claim they will quickly file a revised version with only a typographical correction. The PCEF, which taxes large businesses at 1% annually, has generated significantly more revenue than originally projected since its 2018 launch, making it an attractive funding target for various interests.
#portland-police-funding #climate-fund-diversion #ballot-initiative-challenge #public-safety-spending #community-opposition
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