February 06, 2003
Children's Levy Ratio Dumped
Meanwhile, the Portland City Council has removed specific funding ratios from the children's levy passed by local voters last Fall:
As recently as last month, those targets for how money would be divided were included in a draft agreement between the city and Multnomah County. That draft spelled out spending goals of 50 percent for after-school and mentoring programs, 40 percent for early-childhood programs, and 10 percent for child abuse prevention and intervention.
The ballot question approved in November by city voters did not specify a spending mix. But Commissioner Dan Saltzman and other supporters of the five-year levy said during the campaign that the 50-40-10 allocation would be a good division.
It's a little unsettling to have specifics that were part of the campaign, but not part of the measure itself, removed after-the-fact. But as the article points out, not having specific funding ratios will allow for more flexibility, and not prevent a proven program from receiving funding just because it's particular segment of the pie has already been filled.
Which is not to say that people shouldn't keep an eye on how they divvy up the money as they go along.