Story Published: Feb 5, 2010 at 11:17 PM PDT
Story Updated: Feb 5, 2010 at 11:17 PM PDT
Portland Mayor Sam Adams.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Mayor Sam Adams said he wants to send some kids to college for free, one of the ways the mayor said Friday the city can help its future economy.
By offering kids free tuition to local community colleges, Adams said it will encourage more kids to go to college or get skills training.
“Up to $2 million annually in scholarships to cover the cost for tuition to as many Summer Youth Connects students as possible,” he said during his annual State of the City speech at City Club.
His idea centers around an apprenticeship-type deal under the new “Clean Energy Works” program that aims to retrofit 100,000 Portland homes and employ 10,000 people.
Adams said it would be paid for through private contributors and the city’s general fund, which comes from sewer and water fees.
He also said he wants money for start-ups.
“I challenge all those banks and all those financial institutions with their feel good, we have money to lend to small businesses, ads to match Portland’s upfront half a million dollar investment and invest in the Portland small business seed fund,” he said.
To illustrate his point that education needs to be a stronger focus, he said 63 percent of eighth graders don’t graduate from high school on time.
What was not addressed in the speech but was addressed by a City Club member during the question and answer period was the recall attempt of Adams after the sex scandal with Beau Breedlove.
“Now that the people of Portland have the facts not available to them during the election, isn’t it appropriate for you to support the recall campaign?” asked Ted Kaye.
“I think Portlanders are fair-minded people and I leave it to them as I have left it to them,” he said.
Adams went on to reiterate his other focuses and to thank his staff.
After the event Adam’s was again asked about the recall campaign by a reporter, to which he responded: “Nothing’s going to deter me. Nothing has deterred me from my focus on getting Portlanders back to work, more of our eighth graders to graduate from high school, and making this city more sustainable and resilient. Nothing’s going to deter me from that.”
City Club was criticized for not addressing the recall at the height of the scandal and that is why that member brought it up Friday.
A member of City Club of Portland asked Mayor Sam Adams if he was going to support the campaign to recall him from office. Did he answer the question?
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