Hello fellow Outgrowers!
One of the unifying themes of the questions we received was how to translate the goals of a Wellbeing Economy into our current structure. It’s a lofty ideal, and far enough from where we stand that it can feel downright unattainable on a larger scale, but here in Portland we’re getting some pretty solid opportunities to advance. We have a brand-spanking new city government structure and a significantly more progressive City Council, and with federal upheaval causing massive cracks in our traditional foundations, there will be room to convince folks who would normally fall back on those norms that there’s a different, and better, path forward.
One opportunity that we have in front of us involves our City Council, and its strengthened powers of the purse. It’s budget reckoning time in Portland, we are all being welcomed to the table to voice our opinions and concerns about where Council will put our money. They’re facing an exceedingly tight budget, all told there’s a 93 mil gap. That money has to come from somewhere, so everyone is potentially on the chopping block. In addition to figuring out just where they’re going to find the money to balance this mess, Mayor Wilson has some big ideas he’s hoping to see funded. Unsurprisingly, a lot of *really* important public and community programs in danger of losing vital funding, and various factions are finding themselves in impossibly difficult either/or position… BUT, there’s hope!
Council is holding four town halls, one for each district. By the time this gets out to everyone, Districts 3 and 1 will have had theirs, but Districts 4 and 2 will meet on 4/1 and 4/3 respectively. Don’t worry if you missed yours, testimony doesn’t have to be district-specific and Council is encouraging folks to attend as many as possible, regardless of your address. You can also attend virtually, although the bulk of testimony will be given to in-person attendees. This is an important opportunity to engage in a process that has seeds of participatory government, as well as a sign that our Council Members are taking seriously their oaths to transparently represent us.
Public participation is the antidote to top down government. When I attended the District Three meeting, Mayor Wilson, Police Chief Day, and several City Council Members sat and listened to almost three solid hours of citizen testimony. The vast majority insisted that the city prioritize community programs benefiting oppressed income areas, help for the city’s houseless, city labor, and environmental protections, (they also requested that Council re-examine the PPB and Administrative budgets when considering cuts). A wide variety of folks came together to tell our local government in no uncertain terms that they expect city funding to center Portland’s people, deepening the ability to build and maintain community. There is no doubt where the values of most Portlanders lie, and it was amazing to see so many people from so many different spheres stand on that common ground. It was beautiful.
This amazing civic opportunity to engage in the budgeting conversation opens the door to direct representative culpability. If they don’t listen, they can’t pretend they didn’t know what we value, and this vulnerability should be respected and encouraged in the folks that represent us. Although we don’t have direct control over their decisions, this is a move in the right direction, and we should all take advantage of the opportunity to show our elected leaders how hungry we are for this kind of direct participation, while working to open the door ever further to this model of governance.
Anyone interested in creating a Wellbeing Economy should be at these meetings, because this is how it all starts. Listen, speak, be heard. If you don’t feel comfortable attending in person, you can attend virtually, and if you don’t want to speak out at the meeting, there are options to write and send testimony. This is the crack in the wall where the light gets in, and if we’re to build a city, a state, a nation, that we can be proud of, we have to step up and make it ours. We can make this place beautiful.
Link to watch past sessions and Join future sessions…along with everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the budgeting process, but never thought to ask, along with links to provide written testimony: https://www.portland.gov/budget/join
Questions? Comments? Ideas? Write us at XRPDX.Wllbeing4All@proton.me
