Following city audit, business leaders, environmentalists square off over innovative program
PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) — Commissioner Carmen Rubio is working to head off major changes to the Portland Clean Energy Fund following a week of rapid developments concerning the city climate-and-equity program.
The developments included confirmation that the voter-approved program is raising twice as much tax money as originally estimated, the release of a critical city audit of the program, the resignation of the director of the bureau that manages it and a call from the Portland Business Alliance that its spending be frozen while an emergency 90-day independent commission review it.
In public statements and responses to the Portland Tribune, Rubio rejected any immediate changes in the voter-approved program at this time. Instead, she promised to develop and…