Hi friends! Isn’t April grand here in the PNW? Who needs April showers for May flowers, when you get them both in one month! The winter daydreams of putting on the hiking shoes and traipsing through fields of wildflowers are turned to reality, and I couldn’t be more psyched for the beautiful days to come.
At the March General meeting we were joined by three special guests, our new city councilors, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Angelita Morillo and Steve Novick. We had a GREAT turnout with over 60 neighbors joining in-person and online to hear about how the new form of government is taking shape, and the looming budget crisis that will be consuming much of the council’s efforts. Bottom line on the budget—it’s going to be tough. Depending on how the deficit is calculated, the city faces a deficit of between $92–120 million dollars for the next fiscal year. I was, personally, very impressed with how thoughtful all three councilors were in their responses to constituent questions. Councilor Novick seems to be very much a realist, going through how we got into this situation, not just over the last five years, but through disinvestment in our infrastructure over the past 30 years and with some programs created permanently based on one-time or short-term funding streams. Councilor Morillo appears to bring a keen eye for budgeting and oversight, looking for duplicative efforts and inefficiencies that can be consolidated to improve our long term outlook. Councilor Koyama Lane, in a leadership role as the council Vice President, brings the enthusiasm and optimism of the 3rd grade teacher that she is, trying to bring people together to solve the big issues. The council is still figuring out the exact rules of how legislation will advance, but with the new policy committees having the first review, let’s hope there will be ample opportunities for citizens to make their voices heard on the issues. For the record, the committees District Three members are in are:
• Climate Resilience & Land Use (Novick, Morillo)
• Community & Public Safety (Novick, Morillo)
• Finance (Novick)
• Governance (Koyama Lane)
• Homelessness & Housing (Morillo)
• Labor & Workforce Development (Novick)
• Transportation & Infrastructure (Morillo, Koyama Lane)
Learn more about each committee’s work and sign up to testify at: portland.gov/council/policy-committees.
We also heard about something much more fun than the city’s budget – the Earth Day Parade and Church right here in Sunnyside! Making Earth Cool is planning the event for Saturday, April 26th. Events will kick off at the Sunnyside Environmental School at 11 a.m. with crafts, information booths and other activities. The parade gets going at noon with an approximately one mile route. Individuals and groups are welcome to join the parade. Make a banner! Put on a costume! Walk for the Earth! There will be an Earth Church ceremony at the Sunnyside Community Center (the former Methodist church at 35th and Yamhill) later in the evening. Find out more at makingearthcool.com.
Finally, our annual Board elections are coming up on May 14th at the SNA’s annual meeting. If you are interested in getting more involved in the neighborhood and working with some great folks on important issues, please reach out to me ([email protected]) or call (202-421-5822).
Have you ever walked down Hawthorne and thought, “wow, I love this street, but wouldn’t it be even better with a nice place to sit and watch the colorful world go by?” You’re in luck because PBOT in partnership with the Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association (HBBA) and the SNA, will be piloting a new pedestrian plaza this summer at 37th and Hawthorne! The plaza will provide space to relax, eat a bite and enjoy art and performances! We’re sure you have questions, and we have answers.
What amenities will the plaza offer?
This site was selected after careful consultation with community members and organizations, including the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association (SNA) and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). Key outreach efforts included: