Welcome to the District Five Insider, a weekly newsletter keeping you informed about the big decisions being made inside Council Chambers, what they mean for District Five, and how you can get involved in shaping our community. Enter your email and hit subscribe to receive this newsletter in your mailbox every week.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

The Council meeting this past week was pushed to Wednesday, due to the New Year’s holiday, so I’m a little late getting this out. But a snowy Sunday is a good day to catch up on work. I haven’t seen a City plow truck go by in a while, but I know how hard crews are working to dig us out. More on that below….

One Big Thing:

Non-Profit Fee Waiver Requests Referred to Committee

This week’s “Big Thing” sounds like an administrative nothing burger, but every mighty roar begins with a quiet intake of breath, right? Our agenda this past week included two requests by local non-profit organizations to waive City licensing fees. The Maine Irish Heritage Center asked us to waive their liquor license fee ($1,406.00), and VFW Post 6859 on Forest Ave asked us to waive their Bingo license fee ($104.00). We referred both requests to the Housing and Economic Development (HED) committee for further discussion.

What it means

City code allows the Council, at its discretion, to reduce or waive fees for any organization that provides a direct benefit to the citizens of Portland. According to City Staff, we’ve never done this, and no one has ever asked us to.

Both of these organizations do great work in our community. The Irish Heritage Center hosts the annual Labor Day Breakfast to raise money for the Solidarity Harvest, among many other charity events. The VFW (besides being about the cheapest place in town to get a beer) hosts a weekly Bingo night for seniors, and uses the proceeds to continue its mission to serve area veterans. Hot tip: you don’t have to be a veteran yourself to join the VFW. Anyone with a relative who served in a foreign war can join as an auxiliary member and enjoy all the same perks. The VFW is a great place to meet people and enjoy a free game of pool, or darts in a smoke-free environment. (And did I mention the beer prices?)

Why it matters

Many, many non-profits call Portland home. Some of these entities have small annual budgets and no property, while others own millions of dollars of real estate assets and employ thousands of people. Churches, charities, universities, museums… even the State’s largest medical center, Maine Health, is a non-profit. You could probably argue that all of them are providing a direct benefit to the citizens of Portland and deserve to have their licensing fees waived. But how do we decide which ones? And would this open the flood gates to more requests? This is exactly why the Council decided to hold off on making a decision and do some more research.

The City is limited in how we can raise money to pay for the many services we provide. Garbage collection, street plowing, public health, and police and fire services all need to be funded somehow. Other than property taxes and fees, we don’t have many alternatives.

Non-profit corporations that own real estate in the City of Portland don’t pay property taxes, and that shifts the tax burden onto individual property owners, adding to the already disproportionate burden for low and middle income property owners. I think property ownership should figure into our decisions about which non-profits should get a break, and which should pay a little more. I look forward to discussing this issue in more detail with the HED committee.

Two More Quick Hits:

Cease-Fire Resolution

The Council unanimously passed a Resolution Calling for an Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza and Israel. While the history of the conflict is very complex, this vote, for me, was simple. I cannot ignore the tremendous physical and emotional suffering taking place on both sides of this war. More violence will not end that suffering, and the escalation of hostilities into neighboring countries could spark a regional confrontation, drawing the US into war.

What does that have to do with us here in Portland? I think everything. We’re a community where Muslim and Jewish residents, as well as people of other faiths, and those who practice no religion whatsoever, live together as neighbors, and help each other when called. This is something we’ve worked hard to foster and should work just has hard to preserve. Stating our own values loudly and clearly and calling on our national leaders to work urgently for peace is like saying that what binds us together as a community is relevant in every community.

Snow Plowing and Other City Services

The Department of Public Works recently issued a memo about our shortage of snow plow drivers: 17 unfilled Commercial Drivers License (CDL) positions, with many of these positions being vacant for 24+ months. If you’re wondering why we’re not as fast getting to your street today, that’s why. It takes six months to apply for and qualify for a CDL, so there’s no quick fix. We’re working with private contractors to try to fill the gap, and Portland Adult Ed is offering classes to prepare English Language Learner students for the Knowledge portion of the CDL Class B permit exam to help grow our New Mainer workforce.

People’s lives depend on the City workers who come in every day, and do their part to keep Portland running. During the encampment sweeps this week, I had a chance to meet and talk with two members of Portland’s Mobile Medical Outreach team who stopped in to the Homeless Services Center on Riverside to see a patient. They told me some amazing stories about the work they do for people living on the street who don’t have regular medical care. Their work also helps reduce calls that can divert resources away from potentially larger emergencies. If you have a minute, please watch this short video about their work.

The City of Portland is great place to work, and we have many positions open. One of my goals as your District Councilor is to help bring the City up to full employment so that our government is functioning at full capacity. You can browse current job opportunities here, and if you’re interested in learning more about a position, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

Pet of the Week!

Each week we share a photo and description of a District 5 pet who brightens our day. Do you have a furry friend you want us to feature? Please send your suggestions by email or text.

ksykes@portlandmaine.gov   207-558-5764

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