Oregon Public Broadcasting

An audit of a 2002 Portland Parks Levy has found that money was spent on things not mentioned on the ballot. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

Portlanders passed the $49 million levy to improve the maintenance of parks and recreation services.

The audit found that happened. But it also discovered the Parks Bureau spent about 40 percent of the money on capital projects, adding $1 million-a-year to operating costs.

Auditor Drummond Kahn says in a way it was a clerical mistake.

Drummond Kahn: “But in other ways it took money that some voters might have thought was destined for maintenance: mowing the park, taking out the garbage, fixing the swing set. And instead it was building new skate parks, new pools and renovating community centers.”

Parks commissioner Dan Saltzman says while the language for capital improvements may have been edited out of the ballot, his presentations and various other discussions included talk of capital projects.

Online: 

Five Year Parks Levy: Facilities and services enhanced, but ballot title misleading (PDF Doc, 482 kb)