Few attend May 5 budget listening session

At least they heard from the public employee unions

The Chapman Elementary School auditorium had plenty of empty seats.

About 50 people attended a city budget listening session held at Chapman Elementary School last night, but I didn’t recognize any of them.

I certainly recognized the three District 4 city councilors, all of whom shared their surprise at the poor turnout.

The crowd was dominated by city employees speaking in defense of their jobs and the programs they work for. Many wore union T-shirts. Almost every speaker criticized proposed spending cuts.

Many defended the Portland Fire & Rescue Community Health Assess and Treat (CHAT) program. On the other hand, cutting homeless camp sweeps was highly popular, drawing robust applause every time. The audience may have shown even more antipathy for remodeling the Moda Center, an estimated $400 million tab considered pivotal to keep the Trail Blazers in town.

After the abbreviated meeting, I talked to neighbors outside the building who said they would have attended had they known about it ahead of time.

City Administrator Raymond Lee, and city councilors Olivia Clark, Mitch Green and Eric Zimmerman heard from only a narrow slice of their constituency.