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City Commissioner Amanda Fritz has wrangled $250,000 in city money for programs to fight the sex trafficking of teenagers.
Fritz tells WW her funding request has the support of fellow commissioners—including Mayor Charlie Hales, who initially proposed funding only $70,000.
Hales' new stance follows Fritz's declaration she would hold a separate budget hearing to get more money to help children who have been forced into prostitution on Portland's streets.
Hales had balked at giving Janus Youth Programs that much city funding. But his office spent the last several days in negotiations with Fritz and other city commissioners.
"My understanding is that the Mayor will support my additional funding package for human trafficking," Fritz tells WW by email.
Both offices have been reluctant to talk about the details of their talks—which began earlier this month with a tense 1-on-1 conversation between Hales and Fritz. (She voted against the mayor's budget in May, after he refused to restore $117,000 in funding to fight sex trafficking.)
Hales' office again declined comment Tuesday.
But Fritz says she'll still hold a Dec. 4 hearing on sex trafficking, to draw attention to sexually exploited children and the programs who offer shelter and prosecute pimps.
WWeek 2015