Portland hasn't distributed $282K in raceway grant funds

• Yes, but: Even though $145,000 was added to the fund between 2022 and 2024 (plus about $6,900 in earned interest), Portland Parks and Recreation, which manages the program, did not make those funds available due to staffing shortages.
• Auditors recommended the program be restarted immediately.

What's next: In response to the auditor's investigation, Sonia Schmanski, a deputy city administrator, said the city "is currently outlining a timeline for distributing available funds, with the first round of grant awards targeted for later this year."

Context: According to city policy, the grant program — created in 1989 in an effort to reduce the negative effects of the motorsports facility on adjacent communities — must award at least $20,000 in funds per year.

• Nonprofits like the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Janus Youth Programs, and the Vanport Placemaking Project have all benefited from it in the past, the report notes.

Friction point: Several studies have found that leaded gas emissions can cause cognitive impairment in children living close to racetracks.

• Coupled with the noise pollution from roaring engines, the motorsport facility has been a fraught topic for North Portland residents for decades.

Between the lines: Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban the use of leaded fuel at racetracks in large metropolitan areas — including at the Portland International Raceway.