This morning the Portland City Council passed amendments (3-0) to the Safe Sound and Green (SSG) program and pushed the program’s passage back one week. The amendments removed a primary foe to the program — the Oregon Petroleum Association.
Today’s primary amendment would reduce the amount that some types of convenience stores would pay, while increasing the amount that others convenience stores pay. The City is still calculating the overall impact to the fund but it is expected to be very small.
This amendment was key in the Oregon Petroleum Association writing a memo stating that they would not push a ballot measure to cancel the program. At this point, I am not aware of additional organized opposition.
The BTA continues to strongly support SSG and believes that citizens and businesses are willing to pay a small fee to greatly expand the city’s bicycle network, enhance the safety of children and families, and prevent our transportation system from crumbling.
