The Chamber is involved in many aspects of public policy at City Hall. This newsletter keeps you abreast of what we see coming, and helps you understand what you might have missed in the papers. It also gives you connections for getting involved, or for merely sharing your opinion.

Via this newsletter I encourage you to also keep me informed.

Below are some City Hall goings-on that you should find informative and helpful.

May 2012 Update

Spring is Budget Season. Property Tax and Parking Fee Increases Proposed
The City Council and School Board have been consumed for two months with fiscal matters.  This week is crunch time.  Tuesday voters get to approve the school budget. Click here to read about the school budget. By state law, the school budget is subject to a Budget Validation Referendum, where all Portland voters can give a thumbs up or down.  Portland voter turnout for the School Budget Validation Referendum has never reached ten percent.  Click here to see all the budget materials, and the budget work plan.

Tonight (May 14) the City Council holds a workshop to discuss the City budget alone.  Next Monday, May 21 they will pair the School and City budgets into their 2013 Appropriation Resolve, which is expected to top $300 million.

The Chamber has participated in the budget process and there is little left to argue about.  However, there is a proposal in the budget that would increase parking fees in City garages.  The City says that most private garages are far more expensive, and these 40% increases will amount to “catching up.”   Downtown businesses have protested the steepness of the increase at a time when the Arts District is a focal point of economic growth.  Others say increasing parking fees is good for pedestrian traffic, which is good for business.  If you want to weigh in on this proposal (that raises $160,000 in FY 2013) you should do it fast. Click here to contact Councilors.

Congress Square Plaza – Sell it or Keep it?
The owners of the Eastland Hotel, embarking upon a massive renovation project, want to purchase and develop the adjacent Congress Square Plaza, which is City-owned. The 55 acre Deering Oaks Park is a five minute walk from Congress Street, and multiple open spaces exist in the area. The City generally wants to promote density in an urban environment, but there are interests in town that oppose the Eastland idea.  A working group has been discussing the Plaza for years.  Now a City Council policy committee has it on the agenda.  We expect that advocates for open space, homeless people, and business will all get a little of what they want at Congress Square. But stay tuned to this story as it unfolds.  In a year’s time Portland will have gained new leaders in the following positions: Mayor, City Manager, School Superintendent, Police, Fire, and Planning & Urban Development. Issues like this one help us determine the direction(s) Portland is headed.

Stormwater Runoff Fees Not Yet Flushed Out
Sorry for the pun. Over the last few years I have reported to you about the City’s massive challenges with its antiquated sewer system. Much of the old infrastructure cannot handle heavy rain.  When runoff and sewage combine in the same pipes, overflow can happen, and that runs right into Back Bay, the Fore River and the Harbor. Under order from the Environmental Protection Agency, Portland has taken on the daunting task of fixing the problem. Portland sewer bills have already begun to reflect these necessary upgrades, which will total an estimated 170 million dollars.  The issue can impact the livability and economic development future of Portland.

Last year the City convened a task force to deal with the challenges moving forward.  They recently presented a plan that allocates these costs more equitably, rather than solely in sewer bills.  You can get acquainted with the issue by reading this document.

Portland’s sewer rates are among the highest in the US. If the proposal to assess fees on impervious surfaces is enacted, they could double for many payers. Many new payers will be created also.  The Chamber thinks that it is fair in concept to require all storm water generators to share responsibility for the expensive cleanup.  In the coming weeks and months we will be engaged with City Hall to ensure that the impact is as equitable and soft as possible.  The issue will be discussed by the City Council this summer. 

The Chamber recognizes the need to fix the problem, but we are disappointed at the cost, and disappointed that very little money to date has come from the federal government to help pay for their mandate. I presented Chamber comments to the task force.  Click here if you would like to read them.  We want to ensure that the upcoming solution is not worse than the problem.

Property owners with impervious surfaces will soon be charged stormwater fees.  We are considering the formation of a stakeholder group that can participate in the upcoming process where the City designs the fees and how they will be applied.  If you are interested in participating, please contact me.

Watch City Council Meetings on CTV, or now Streaming Online
You can watch City Council meetings live on CTN Channel 5 or streaming online.  Click here to see how.

The Chamber Economic Scorecard
When it comes to important economic indicators, how do you get through all the opinions to know with certainty just where Portland ranks?  Check it out here:

The Chamber Scorecard.  Our second annual publication about the Portland economy informs elected officials in City Hall, Augusta, and Washington. The Scorecard allows us to measure what matters, not once, but trended over time.  So we can act as appropriate. When you engage candidates about preserving the good and improving the bad, please refer to the Green, Yellow, and Red indicators in the Scorecard. Work has begun on the 2012 Scorecard.  If you have suggestions for it, or if you would like to be involved in the update process, please let me know. 

City Information Tool
Portland Cityline is an easy way for residents, businesses and visitors of Portland to receive periodic updates on city government activities. By simply signing up online, you can receive the latest information. Find out about traffic alerts, changes to trash and recycling pick-up schedules, public meetings, recreation activities and much more.

Know your City Councilors?
In which Council District are you located? Click here to see the map. Want to get in touch with Councilors to thank them, invite them to your business, or provide input? Find out here how to get in touch with them.

City Calendar
Wondering when that Planning Board or City Council meeting is? What’s on an agenda? Check out the City’s calendar.

Ask The City
The City has an online service called eContact. It allows citizens quick and easy access to information and specific information requests. Check it out Here.

Chris O’Neil is the principal of O’Neil Policy Consulting, Inc.  He represents the Portland Community Chamber at City Hall since 2006.
Contact Chris.