Three Portland Public Schools Board Members Pledge Support to Measure 97

Others mum.

Three members of Portland Public Schools are pledging their support to Measure 97, the corporate tax measure that's expected to raise $3 billion.

Support from advocates for public education may not be surprising. The three board members backing of the measure—Paul Anthony, Steve Buel and Mike Rosen—say it will provide needed funds for public education.

But the measure comes at time when PPS will be looking for corporate backers for their $750 million construction bond, now expected to appear on the May ballot.

The Portland Business Alliance warned the board in July that they might not support the construction bond if the school board endorsed the corporate tax.

The remaining members of the board—Julie Esparza Brown, Pam Knowles, Amy Kohnstamm and Tom Koehler—did not respond to WW's requests for comment.

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