Government Accountability

Never forget to follow the money

It's a well established fact that if you don't, it's going to disappear! Audits play a crucial role in enforcing accountability and fiduciary responsibilities no matter where money changes hands, and nowhere are they more important than the checks they provide to government spending. Our government’s money is our money. Our elected officials are responsible for stewarding it judiciously in pursuing goals and initiatives that enhance the daily lives of Portlanders, not for enriching cronies and enterprises with proven track records of failure. When was the last time those officials told you where your money was going?

Portland’s government has become notorious for its spending habits

On issues like homelessness and the drug crisis, officials have chosen to enrich not-for-profit organizations who, year after year, gladly suck our budgets dry. At the same time, we watch the issues they’re tasked to address only get worse! Our government structure isn’t without checks and balances, so why aren’t these organizations and the leaders who pick them being held to account?

We shouldn't have to spend $300,000 to realize we can’t afford an app

But hey, we did that ! It’s unconscionable, but what’s three-hundred-thousand bucks when Portland Bureau of Transportation shortfalls are upwards of thirty-two million heading into the next budget period? It’s not just PBOT, either; Portland Public Schools is staring down a similar gap amidst flagging performance. In a year where budget cuts were already made as pandemic-era funding ran out, it’s clear that accountability and long-term vision were never part of City Hall’s plan.

What's John going to do about it?

Ensure the City Auditor’s role in government accountability and public reporting is taken seriously

As the only elected official in city government independent of the city council and accountable only to the public, regular financial audits and targeted operational assessments are unique, critical avenues to realizing real government accountability. But when was the last time you heard from the city auditor?

Take a look at the reports from 2023, and it’ll be easy to tell why their output is typically underplayed, speaking as it does to the egregious inefficiencies endemic across the breadth of our city’s spending. When the Office of the Auditor speaks, we need to listen, which begins with policy decisions informed by their findings.

Support the Ombudsman and the establishment of a Transparency Advocate

Critical to the auditor's office is the Ombudsman, a position self-branded as “your Rose City Watchdog.” As a neutral mediator between the public and the city, the Ombudsman helps give voice to those who feel bureaus aren’t meeting expectations. That’s only half the battle, though, as the Ombudsman has no jurisdiction over investigations or recommendations related to elected officials themselves.

Last year, Portland City Council rejected a proposal from the City Auditor to fill these gaps by establishing a Transparency Advocate. Elected officials denying a public vote on the dedication of additional resources to hold elected officials accountable? Shocking!

Those under scrutiny shouldn’t be allowed to keep a direct recommendation from the Auditor off the ballot. Transparency and accountability require resources, so support for the ongoing efforts of the Auditor through the Ombudsman and Transparency Advocate is a no-brainer.