A Portland city audit reveals that debt and increasing infrastructure costs threaten the city’s ability to provide basic services in the future.
A Portland city audit reveals that debt and increasing infrastructure costs threaten the city’s ability to provide basic services in the future.
“I think this is the most important audit I’ve done in all my years as an auditor. I want the council to fully understand how the decisions they are making will affect the city’s future financial capacity,” says [City Auditor LaVonne] Griffin-Valade, who served a Multnomah County Auditor before being elected to the city post in 2009.
The audit identified a number of trends that could reduce the money available for basic services in the future. They include a growing amount of debt payments authorized by the council, future pension and other post-employment obligations to city workers, and increasing unfunded infrastructure maintenance and capacity costs.
