By KGW-TV News
St. Johns could be hit hardest by public safety cuts in Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year, according to KGW-TV News.
Wilson has promised to not close any fire stations or police precincts to help eliminate a projected $163 million budget shortfall. But Channel 8 is reporting that he is proposing to reassign half of Portland Fire & Rescue Station 22’s staff and take away its only fire engine.
Station 22, located at 7205 N Alta Ave., covers the largest area in the city. The station is one the southwest edge of the St. Johns town center.
“That’s a devastating blow, because as you may know, that St. John’s neighborhood in the far north end is kind of isolated,” Isaac McLennan, president of the Portland Fire Fighters’ Association, told KGW-TV is an April 30 report.
According to the report, the total proposed cut to PF&R is around $4 million. If Station 22 is unable to field an engine, the closest alternative is Station 26 on North Lombard, where the Portsmouth and University Park neighborhoods meet. That’s about two miles away from Station 22, and more like three miles away from the far outskirts of residential St. Johns.
In addition, KGW-TV reported that Wilson is proposing to cut more than $17 million from the Portland Police Bureau budget. Although he has promised not to lay off any sworn officers, the reduction would eliminate front desk staff, curtail public access, and reduce other services at North Precinct, located at Northeast Emerson Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
“It could literally be several days before a police officer is able to respond to a crime victim,” Sgt. Aaron Schmautz, Portland Police Association president, told KGW-TV, referring to the loss of non-sworn public safety support specialists under Wilson’s proposal.
District 2 Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney told KGW-TV that she’d be asking city officials specifically what services are usually provided to the public inside the North Precinct to better determine the impact of those cuts.
“When it comes to proposed cuts to Fire, I need to know whether any changes in our district would increase response time or impact disaster preparedness,” said Pirtle-Guiney, who represents North and Northeast Portland. “We have to ensure our neighborhoods are receiving the same level of access to emergency services as everywhere else in Portland, especially in the event of a natural disaster.”
For people in St. Johns who could be impacted by cuts to both police and fire — like 30-year neighborhood resident Dale Svart — there’s an element of déjà vu.
“There is just a feeling in this community that we always get the short end of the stick,” Svart told KGW-TV.
The City Council must balance the next budget before it takes effect on July 1. A City Council District 2 listening session on Wilson’s proposed budget is scheduled from 6 to 8 pm on May 4 at the University of Oregon Portland Campus Center Event Hall, 2823 NE Holman St. The full City Council will take testimony at a hearing from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on May 19 at City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave.
The full KGW-TV story can be found here.
A previous North Peninsula Review story on the mayor’sproposed budget can be found here.