Portland pays people to not drive

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Portland is now paying people to not drive their cars on Wednesday.

Through the Ride Every Wednesday program, if you say you biked to work or rode a bus, you can stop by a nearby City of Portland tent and pick up a free $50 gift card.

The program is sponsored by the City of Portland as well as Travel Oregon (a group funded with tax dollars).

This is similar to the other project by the City of Portland where the City gave away a half million in gift cards to pay  people to shop downtown after the crime wave scared them away.

The City of Portland also previously paid people on the street in $364 debit cards to use on broadband expenses.  As expected there was no record keeping on who received the card or that the money was used for actually broadband.  Some people took multiple cards (as many as six by count).   It cost taxpayers $3 million.

Multnomah County has given away randomly $500 cash loaded debit cards to the homeless.

Previously, Portland gave away 12,000 free bus passes annually for younger citizens, which was later picked up partially by Portland Public Schools.

Under one scenario, one could take a free bus to pick up their $50 “I didn’t drive” gift card while picking up their $50 shopping downtown card while picking up their $364 broadband card while picking up their $500 homeless gift card.

Did we miss anything on Portland’s gift card hand-outs? (we collect these horror stories, and could use your help)

If so, email us.

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