Accept the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report
DATE: October 26, 2022
TO: City Council
FROM: Claire Flynn, Levy Coordinator
SUBJECT: Accept the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report
I am pleased to submit for your consideration and acceptance Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report.
The purpose of 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report is to summarize and share the status and achievements, as well as provide transparency, of the five-year 2020 Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) implementation in Fiscal Year 2021-22. In Fiscal year 2021-22, the first of five years of the Parks Levy, PP&R has made progress on all fifteen commitments made to Portland voters on the November 2020 ballot.
The Parks Levy Oversight Committee is composed of 5 members of the public and was established in July 2021 to review Parks Levy program implementation, advise on transparency and communication strategies, and counsel on a future independent audit process. The Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report is a response to PP&R’s actions in FY 2021-22 and the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report, and specifically focuses on adherence to the ballot language, fiscal accountability, and transparency.
If accepted by City Council, both the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report will be shared electronically on the Parks Levy and Parks Levy Oversight Committee webpages, respectively. The Executive Summary of the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report, as well as the full Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report, will be made available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and English.
PP&R and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee will continue to report back on an annual basis to present the progress made on the Parks Levy. We are grateful that the voters have prioritized maintaining neighborhood parks, improving access and safety, providing equitable recreation programs, proactively caring for natural areas and Portland’s urban forest, and more. We look forward to celebrating with the community as they continue to see more results of their investment made possible by Parks Levy funding.
Thank you,
Claire Flynn, Levy Coordinator
Official Record (Efiles)
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report
- The purpose of this report is to review and share with the public the current status and achievements, as well as ensure transparency, of the five-year 2020 Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy). In Year 1 of the five-year Parks Levy, PP&R has established the financial tracking systems, funding eligibility analysis, and new positions to increase capacity, resources, and processes for successful delivery of Parks Levy-funded services in subsequent years.
- Portland voters passed the Parks Levy in November 2020 for implementation beginning in Fiscal Year 2021-22. In Year 1 of the Parks Levy, community centers, pools, and facilities were able to remain open for community use and programming while significantly growing financial assistance use. Maintenance services increased in parks and natural areas. Expanded community partnerships helped reach diverse and underserved communities. PP&R is making progress on all fifteen commitments listed in the Parks Levy ballot measure. In addition, Year 1 of the Parks Levy has laid the groundwork for continued delivery of the ballot measure commitments made to Portland voters.
- PP&R will conduct a performance audit of the Parks Levy after Year 3 to evaluate and confirm that the Parks Levy funds are being spent in a manner that adheres to the ballot language, the Parks Levy is operating in a fiscally responsible manner, and the existing documentation systems are in place, transparent, and functioning well.
Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report
- The Parks Levy’s explanatory statement committed that, “A community oversight committee will be appointed to review levy expenditures and to report annually to City Council.”
- The Parks Levy Oversight Committee is composed of five members, selected from an open public applicant pool, appointed by the PP&R Director. The committee meets quarterly and reviews program implementation, advises on transparency and communication strategies, and will counsel on the independent audit process.
- Per the Parks Levy Oversight Committee’s Charter, the committee presents their own annual report to City Council of committee activities including on adherence to Parks Levy language, fiscal accountability, and transparency.
- This report is a response to PP&R’s 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
There are no financial or budgetary impacts directly resulting from the presentation of these reports. In Fiscal Year 2021-22, PP&R spent $19,105,009 of the fiscal year’s $44,687,419 in Parks Levy revenue. Parks Levy funds are not limited to spending within the five-year collection timeframe, and savings from this fiscal year will be retained in the Parks Levy Fund to be spent in future years delivering on Parks Levy commitments to voters.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
The commitments made in the voter pamphlet, and tracked in the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report, were developed with community input and approved by Portland voters. Ballot measure language included a focus on prioritizing services for communities of color and households experiencing poverty and on providing services to diverse populations, communities of color, seniors, teens, households experiencing poverty, immigrants and refugees, and people living with disabilities. In addition, as part of the Bureau’s strategic planning process, PP&R has committed to centering the voices and the needs of underserved communities, specifically Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA+ people, youth, older adults, people living with disabilities, and people living with low incomes; this expands upon the ballot language of the Parks Levy.
Both the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report and the Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report will be available on the PP&R website with accessibility text and translation services available. The Executive Summary from the 2021-22 Parks Levy Annual Report, and the full Parks Levy Oversight Committee Annual Report, will be translated into Portland’s four most common languages.
Parks Levy Oversight Committee members are members of the public and are invited to present their report to City Council.
100% Renewable Goal
The City’s Renewable Energy Goals are not directly impacted as a result of the presentation of this report.
Budget Office Financial Impact Analysis
No fiscal impact—accepting a report.
Agenda Items
880 Time Certain in October 21-27, 2022 Council Agenda
Accepted
- Commissioner Mingus Mapps Yea
- Commissioner Carmen Rubio Yea
- Commissioner Dan Ryan Yea
- Former Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Yea
- Mayor Ted Wheeler Yea