Flashback 2021: County shut public from using AC centers

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

During the last year’s record heat wave, we are reminded of last year when Multnomah County had air conditioned community centers but chose to keep people outside.

From Pamplin Media, “An inquiry days before the deadly, late June heat wave underscored that Portland Parks & Recreation has still not reopened the community and arts centers closed because COVID-19, even though the City Council approved a $22 million loan to restart parks programs five months ago. Most of the centers are air conditioned and could have provided relief during the triple-digit temperatures suspected of killing 71 people in Multnomah County. But the parks bureau said it has not yet replaced enough of the 700 employees laid off early last year because of the pandemic to fully reopen all of them. Instead, the bureau is currently using them mostly for employees to support outdoor activities “

It had $22 million and AC buildings but couldn’t find a way to use the $22 million to get people in the door.

We offer this example as a teaching tool for 2022.

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