Portland parks supporters are pushing back against a city audit criticizing Portland Parks & Recreation that was released just ahead of the Nov. 4 special election on a five-year operating levy for the bureau. The audit said PP&R is facing a maintenance deficit of up to $800 million because it has historically not set enough money aside for repairs.

“Parks committed to funding the construction of new assets without identifying a funding source for its ongoing maintenance. As a result, the City added assets it cannot afford,” said the audit released on Oct. 15.

The campaign supporting Measure 26-260 says the problem is the result of Portland’s previous form of government — and warns that parks across the city will close if the levy does not pass, including many that host arts and cultural events and programs. The City Council could be forced to cut 50% of PP&R’s general fund budget if it fails.

“This audit highlights long-standing financial challenges that predate Portland’s new government structure. The proposed Parks Levy was crafted by City Council to address those concerns – with stronger accountability, direct Council oversight, and a requirement for a long-term financial plan. Supporting the levy means protecting parks while making the system more transparent and sustainable,” said Jessica Green, chair of Portlanders for Parks, the campaign committee supporting Measure 26-260. She is also executive director of the Portland Parks Foundation.

The audit has already fueled opposition to the measure. The Oregonian editorialized against Measure 26-260 the day it was released, citing its findings as a reason voters should turn it down.

“A new audit, published today by the Portland city auditor, shows in alarming detail the bureau’s longstanding failure to fund maintenance of these amenities – 86% of which are in ‘poor or very bad condition.’ Meanwhile, the bureau continues to build new park projects – with development fees that unfortunately, cannot go to maintenance or operations – but has no plan for how it will cover the upkeep and repairs, the audit notes,” the editorial said.

The Oregonian said the City Council could refer a replacement measure to the May 2026 special election that addresses the maintenance shortfall. The result of the vote would not be known until just weeks before it is legally required to approve a balanced budget for the next fiscal year, however.

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Willamette Week came to the opposite conclusion the same day the audit was released, however.

 “There are many perils to making policy via ballot measure. One is that some parts of government get fat while others are left to beg for their lives. But another is the temptation to hamstring our future as a way to punish the failures of the past. You would be right to have a beef with the leaders who placed Portland in this mess. Don’t take it out on the trees. Vote yes,” they wrote.

Although Portland voters have repeatedly approved PP&R operating levies in the past, passage of Measure 26-260 was never guaranteed. It is intended to replace a five-year levy that expires at the end of this year. To maintain the current level of service, the City Council is asking voters to increase the property tax rate by 75%, from 80 cents to $1.40 per $1,000 of assessed value. The median homeowner would pay about $310 a year, and the median commercial property owner would pay around $440 annually. That would raise $86 million in the levy’s first year and an average of $91 million over the full five years.

Selling such an increase to voters during uncertain economic times is not going to be easy. Portlander for Parks has put together a broad-based coalition of community, environmental, labor and business organizations to support it. They have reported raising nearly $120,000 for the campaign so far. Their first volunteer community canvass is set for Oct. 19.

“This kind of broad-based support demonstrates that our parks are important to every Portlander. At a time when so many issues seem to divide us, the Portland Parks Levy stands out for the extensive and diverse support it has earned throughout the community and across the political spectrum. There’s solid agreement that Portland parks play a critical role in the livability and success of our city,” Green said in the Sept. 25 campaign kick-off announcement.

But, as Willamette Week noted in its editorial, this is the third tax measure Portlanders have been asked to approve since Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek called for a moratorium in local tax increases. Last year voters approved a Portland Bureau of Transportation request to extend the 10-cent-a-gallon city gas tax for street repairs. In May they approved a $1.83 billion Portland Public Schools bond measure to modernize and replace aging schools.

In response to the audit, City Administrator Michael Jordan said the new form of government Portland voters approved in November 2020 will allow the city to overcome the lack of long-term finance planning plaguing PP&R. On Jan. 1, 2025, the five-member council that used to personally oversee city bureaus was replaced by a 12-member council with no management duties. All bureaus were placed under the city administrator.

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One of the first things the new council did was call for the development of a long-term management plan for all city assets, a process that is already underway.

“With Portland’s new form of government, and recent City Council stated commitments to longer-term sustainable investment planning and implementation, I am optimistic about the future for Portland’s critical infrastructure. Our past has been challenging, including chronic insufficient levels of investment for capital maintenance, and capital investment decisions led by successive Commissioners-in-Charge,” Jordan wrote in a response letter included in the audit.

• The PP&R audit can be found here.
• A previous Oregon ArtsWatch story about the PP&R levy can be found here.
• More information about Measure 26-260 and the campaign supporting it can be found at portlandersforparks.org.