More bad news for Civic Stadium boosters. Four eastern
Multnomah County cities are balking at paying for the
rehab of Portland's ballpark.
Officials from Gresham, Troutdale, Wood Village and
Fairview feel like the class bully is shaking them down
for lunch money, and they're looking to Metro Councilor
Rod Park for help.
At issue is the Multnomah County hotel-motel tax. Earlier
this year, officials from Portland, Multnomah County
and Metro agreed to raise the county's hotel-motel tax
from 3 percent to 5.5 percent, in part to fix up Civic.
While the deal was generally applauded in Portland,
some officials in the four eastern suburbs complain
they won't get anything in return.
"There's an equity issue involved here, and none of
the city councils in our four cities have been given
the courtesy of a vote," says Gresham finance director
Terry McCall. "I think there's a feeling that there's
some strong-arming going on. There may not be any intent
to do that, but that's how it feels out here."
Park, who represents east Multnomah County, says that
even though the amount of funds involved is paltry--a
combined $60,000 to $120,000 a year--the suburbs' gripes
are legitimate. He notes that under the conditional
agreement, pushed by Mayor Vera Katz, only the city
of Portland would get a share of the profits if the
proposed Civic Stadium operator, Portland Family Entertainment,
starts making money.
"If the city of Portland wants to share the profits
with the four cities, then that's another thing," says
Park. "When I suggested that to [mayoral aide] Sam Adams
I didn't get a favorable response."
Park has drafted an ordinance that would change the
language in any final agreement reached on Civic Stadium.
The new agreement would let the four cities keep the
share of the tax increase that had been earmarked for
the ball park.
Although local hotel operators aren't thrilled with
the tax hike, they didn't spark the revolt.
Wood Village mayor Don Robertson says the four mayors
got together a month ago and decided to stand up to
Portland and the county. "They should have consulted
us first," he says. "We should have had more say."
Roger Vonderharr, mayor of Fairview, agrees.
"We're sick and tired of playing cash cow for Portland's
facilities," he says. "This whole process had nothing
to do with us. They didn't talk to us. I'm really getting
tired of Multnomah County thinking that they represent
Portland and we are just an outlying district to be
used as needed. The economic benefits to my city
are zip."
Asked about the cities' complaints, Adams said he supports
their right to opt out, but says, "We want to try and
address their concerns." He says that, in addition to
fixing up Civic Stadium and expanding the Convention
Center, the hotel tax hike would also bankroll a visitor-development
fund, and changes are under way to ensure that east-county
cities get a say in how that money is spent.
Though the suburbs' total contribution is small change
in terms of the overall deal, the political significance
of a suburban revolt would be larger.
Park's move comes at a time when Portland is reeling
from PFE's failure to land a team. If the four cities
withdraw their support, it would raise even more questions
about the controversial deal.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Willamette Week | originally
published December 1,
1999
