💰 Delays on Trail Blazers stadium funding

City Hall’s Delays on Funding for Trail Blazers Stadium

Gov. Tina Kotek says she expects Portland City Council to come up with a funding package for Moda Center renovations within weeks. But it’s more likely to take many months. Plus, there’s also no guarantee that a majority of city councilors will back the current proposal. [Oregonian]

• Climate-funds fight: One key point of contention is Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposal to use climate funds for the Moda Center renovations. There’s been pushback on that proposal. City Council President Jamie Dunphy is charting a middle course, saying he’ll only support that piece of the proposal if it’s approved by the advisory committee for the Portland Clean Energy Fund. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
• Sport enthusiasts’ freakout: Oregonian sports columnist Bill Oram, in a sharply worded lament, says that City Hall, including Dunphy, could hand the team to another city: “Our representatives are cackling while tossing firecrackers into the trees. They’re laying dynamite along the Cascadia fault and dumping crude oil in Netarts Bay.” [Oregonian]

What’s Next for Our City?

Portland City Council president Jamie Dunphy talked night districts, the arts tax, housing, and doughnuts with a live audience of City Cast Portland Neighbors. The podcast was taped on 503 Day in Portland’s new Pink District. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

No on Tapping the Reserve Funds for School

Two legislators in charge of writing the state’s budget faced a crowd of disgruntled school advocates at a public meeting in Portland last week. No, state Sen. Kate Lieber and Rep. Tawna Sanchez (both Democrats) don’t plan to tap the state’s $1.2 billion rainy day fund to help forestall layoffs in local school districts. [Oregonian]

• Among their reasons: The federal government will be asking states to pay more of the costs of Medicaid and food stamps next year — and into the future. [Oregonian]

Official Determination of Portland’s Best Rose Gardens

The annual Portland Rose Festival includes a competition for the best rose garden within a 20-mile radius of Pioneer Courthouse Square. You need to have upwards of 12 rose bushes to be considered. [Oregonian]

• Learn more: Sign up to compete by May 22.