[0]City hall more open to the public.On Wednesday August 8, Portland City Council unanimously voted to reduce the hourly threshold that triggers a lobbying entity's obligation to register with the auditors offices. Members of the City Council believes that the threshold reduction will require more entities to disclose their lobbying activities. This builds on Commissioner Adams' efforts to "daylight" political decision making and create a more accessible city government.
Under the changes, lobbying entities [1] who spend more than eight hours "attempting to influence the official action of City officials" must register [2] [3]with the auditor. Additionally, elected officials and bureau directors [4] must publish their official calendars. This effort is to disclose who is meeting with city leaders and whose interests are being represented.
Sam is pleased with the threshold reduction and said yesterday that "Portland is a very engaged City. Residents deserve to know how their money is being spent, how decisions are made, and why."
Citizen Activist Chris Smith, who has been involved in this issue since it was passed in 2006, stated that the changes "will bring a higher level of transparency to the transactions of City Hall."
Please give us your feedback on this issue and how we can make the city more accountable to you.
RELEVANT DOCUMENTS
Copy of Ordinance [4]