Schools boast: We cut $35M from $1.3B bond. Ask voters to pass #26-259

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

PPS Board Frustrated with District’s Bond Measure (Measure 26-259): “The Math Ain’t Mathin’”

Portland Public Schools (PPS) is asking for more than $1.3 billion from taxpayers with Measure 26-259 on the May 20, 2025 ballot.

However, if the latest Board of Education meeting is any indication, voters should think long and hard before opening their wallets.

The discussion, heavily focused on updates to the high school modernization projects for Jefferson, Ida B. Wells, and Cleveland High Schools, revealed a district struggling to contain costs and seemingly deaf to the realities of declining enrollment and pressing financial needs across the district.

Staff presented updates on the cost reduction studies mandated by the board. According to the board’s framework, the goal is to bring the building sizes down to approximately 295,000 gross square feet. Preliminary figures suggest potential cost reductions of:

• $25 million to $33 million for Jefferson,
• $3 million to $15 million for Ida B. Wells, and
• $7 million to $18 million for Cleveland.

However, these “reductions” are relative to previously inflated budgets, and the overall price tags remain staggering. The presentations consistently hovered around the $450 million mark per high school, even after the supposed cost-cutting measures.

Board member Gary Hollands echoed the frustration of many taxpayers and voters: “We’re still at this $450 [million per school] number. I’m just really curious where was the savings at, because $3 to $15 million dollars is not really a savings when we’re talking about almost a half-a-billion-dollar schools.”

Hollands is right. After weeks of working to reduce costs, PPS staff managed to cut only 3% from projected costs.

A significant point of contention arose over the district’s unwavering commitment to making the modernized high schools all-electric, a decision with substantial financial implications. While framed as aligning with climate justice policies, several board members voiced concerns about the cost-benefit analysis, especially given the dire needs of other schools in the district.

“The electrical goal is gonna cost us $50 million, is that something we want to invest all that in?” challenged Holland.

This highlights a fundamental disagreement about priorities: extravagant features in a few high schools versus addressing critical safety and infrastructure needs across the entire district.

Board members also expressed frustration with the process and the justification for the exorbitant costs, with board member Herman Greene noting, “The math ain’t mathin’,” and demanding, “Find me another school in the country that’s building a single solitary school for $400 and something million dollars, and then let’s talk about it.”

This candid statement underscores the public’s bewilderment at the seemingly unchecked spending. Explanations citing values like all-electric infrastructure and local labor—while popular with Portlanders—do little to alleviate the sticker shock compared to school construction costs elsewhere.

The timeline for these projects remains uncertain, with further design work and cost estimations needed. The promise of updated comprehensive plans in the future offers little comfort to taxpayers who have seen similar assurances before, often followed by budget overruns and construction delays. Board member Greene’s pointed question about preventing future cost overruns went largely unanswered during the meeting, a worrying sign for the fiscal responsibility of these massive undertakings.

Greene asked: “We’re wasting a lot of money, we’re losing a lot of money because we said it was going to cost us X amount of dollars, and then somewhere along the line… we went over by 50 million and then some more million and like when does this stop? When does the bleeding stop?”

Given the district’s declining enrollment directly impacting state funding, the massive price tags for these high school modernizations appear increasingly unsustainable. While the board touts potential future savings and points to a balance for additional modernization initiatives, the immediate focus remains on these multi-hundred-million-dollar projects.

Portland voters face a critical decision. Should we continue lavishly spending on a few high schools while other schools crumble and academic achievement stagnates?

Or do we hit “pause” on this proposal and demand PPS to come back with a more fiscally responsible plan that addresses the needs of all students and reflects the district’s current realities?

The answer should be clear: it’s time for PPS to go back to the drawing board and present a proposal that earns the community’s trust and financial support.

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