Good morning………
An independent outside voice is now adding to the community debate over the future of city services in Salem.
The group of business leaders recently spent hours taking their own hard look at local spending.
They acted after Salem city leaders, from administrative staff to city councilors, insisted the city needs more money to keep running. City surveys show taxpayers aren’t much interested in paying higher taxes.
Reporter Joe Siess tracked the work of the efficiencies committee. He had an exclusive report on the group’s basic finding that city government “is successfully squeezing more services out of what it does have compared to comparably-sized cities like Eugene.”
The group didn’t find wasteful spending or inefficiencies that could cut costs by millions.
“I have felt multiple times over this conversation that anything we have recommended as efficiencies feel like bringing a knife to an artillery battle,” the committee chair said.
The Salem City Council continues its discussion this week about a possible tax levy. This independent committee plans to report in detail on its findings in a couple of weeks.
Joe also produced a primer on a tax levy – what are possible taxing levels, what that would pay for and the schedule of decisions in the coming weeks.
You can count on our team to continue reporting on all aspects of this debate. This affects everything from the number of police officers on the street to whether children have enough access to a public library.
If the council goes ahead with a tax vote in May, expect Salem Reporter to conduct a Town Hall before the election.
In other city news, reporter Alan Cohen has details on major changes coming to Geer Community Park, roughly east of Oregon State Penitentiary.
And in our expanded effort to cover Marion County and its Board of Commissioners, Alan has the story on what help for the community commissioners hope to get from the federal government. Reporter Madeleine Moore has the story about a new effort by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to help those in custody overcome their addictions, switching to a new medication. As Madeleine reported, “The main difference in injectable medication is that it stays in someone’s system for a month, while tablets, which are taken daily, will wear off within 48 hours once stopped.”
Reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian tracked down how thousands of people in the Salem area no longer have evictions on their records. As he reported, “Having a past eviction is an ‘absolutely huge’ barrier to housing, according to Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency.
Reporter Abbey McDonald had a warm story about a woman helping dogs, especially during cold weather. “She’s on the lookout for dogs. Specifically, dogs without coats,” McDonald wrote.
The Salem Reporter team in recent produced a host of other stories revealing about life in Salem:
•A popular venue for entertainment is closing later this year.
•Those local firefighters dispatched to help with LA fires share their story.
•Houck Middle School spurred on students with a “You Go Girl” event.
•Willamette Art Center needs to find a new home.
•Salem’s immigrant community is standing strong in the face of national developments.
And Madeleine Moore has news you can use – how the skyrocketing price of eggs affects your favorite breakfast place.
In response to reader questions, columnist Harry Fuller talks turkey about bird flu in Salem.
And columnist Kimberli Fitzgerald writes about the history of Black History Month, sharing, “Rachel Belden was one of the first Black pioneers to live in Oregon and the first known Black woman to do so.”
I’m always delighted to hear from readers. Send me your ideas, your questions, even your concerns or complaints. My direct email: [email protected].
– Les Zaitz, co-founder and editor, Salem Reporter
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