Councilor Dan Ryan Announces Opposition to Parks Levy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland City Councilor Dan Ryan today announced his opposition to the Portland Parks Levy (Measure 26-260).

"I love our parks, but this levy asks Portlanders to pay for inefficiencies the bureau hasn't fixed. The Parks Bureau can and should generate more of its own revenue instead of relying again on taxpayers. Until we see real institutional change, it's not fair to keep coming back to voters for another tax increase. I'm voting no."

In a letter to constituents sent Friday, Councilor Ryan points out fee discounts not tied to means testing and the lack of urgency to finalize a public-private operational partnership of the Portland Tennis Center as current inefficiencies. He also laments the current restrictions placed on revenue generated from system development charges. That money currently can only be used for new construction, not deferred maintenance or operational costs of assets.

"I was flabbergasted when I was informed of this restriction," Ryan writes, "If this rule was not the letter of the law, I would have invested in deferred maintenance when I was Parks Commissioner in 2023. I will continue to ask the Mayor and Government Affairs to 'fix' this nonsensical law."

The entire letter to constituents is available here.

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