Portland Business Alliance fined for repeatedly violating city lobbying rules
Updated 6:08 PM;
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One of the Portland area’s most influential business organizations repeatedly violated city lobbying rules last year, resulting in a rare fine by the city auditor’s office.
The Portland Business Alliance failed to disclose at least 25 times it had contacted city officials in 2020 to request access, funding or action, primarily by email, an investigation by the auditor’s office found.
Those unreported emails, text messages and other interactions with officials did not appear in quarterly statements the alliance is required to file with the city of Portland as an organization that routinely lobbies City Hall.
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Portland Business Alliance Violated City Lobbying Rules 25 Times in the Past Year The alliance was fined $450 and encouraged to partake in training to avoid violating rules in the future. Pioneer Place. (Brian Burk) Updated April 29 The Portland city auditor found this week that the Portland Business Alliance violated the city’s lobbying rules 25 times in the past year by failing to disclose emails, texts and letters exchanged with city officials, including the office of Mayor Ted Wheeler.
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Portland mayor seeks to delay proposed carbon tax after businesses complain
Updated Jan 26, 2021;
The proposed tax, unveiled in November by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, would be used to fund an array of local climate change initiatives and would be the first of its kind in the nation.
Large manufacturers, hospitals and colleges and universities would pay most of the proposed tax, documents show. City officials estimate it would raise more than $10 million a year.
Wheeler has previously announced his support for the plan. But the mayor voiced concern Monday that some of the employers it targets have already taken a financial hit from the pandemic, now in its 11th month.
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On Dec. 30, Metro went to Multnomah Circuit Court asking a judge to determine whether the income tax ordinance authorized by voters last May, known as HereTogether, complies with state law.
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