Amid ongoing cost concerns surrounding Multnomah County's Preschool for All program, county commissioners opted last week to hold off on any moves that would change its funding structure.

Why it matters: The program, passed by a sizable majority of voters in 2020, has come under criticism from Gov. Tina Kotek and others for imposing too high of a tax burden on Portland-area residents.

How it works: Preschool for All aims to provide free universal preschool to all Multnomah County 3- and 4-year-olds by 2030, and is funded through a personal income tax between 1.5 and 3% on high-income residents.

• The program is set to serve nearly 4,000 children at more than 200 preschools this year, with the majority coming from low-income families, according to the county.
• But a county audit released earlier this year found the program was at risk of missing its goals due to a lack of qualified child care providers and low payments to participating preschools.

The latest: That all set the stage for a series of meetings last week where county commissioners planned to vote on changes to the program's funding structure.

• The leading proposal called for indexing the income tax to inflation, though an advisory group made up of economists and early-childhood policy experts was split on whether the change should be implemented.
• Before it could come to a vote on Thursday, Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards made a motion to postpone any changes, calling the proposal the product of a "rushed process."

The big picture: The proposal will now head back to the advisory group for further study, with a report on the impacts of the proposed changes due early next year.

Friction point: Kotek first expressed concerns over the cost of the program in June, saying in a press release the county must "continue to serve the children it is serving, amend the tax, and fix the program before the next tax year to reduce the burden on Multnomah County residents."

What the county says

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Looks like the heat wave is sticking around in the Pacific Northwest for at least a few more days.

Meanwhile, much of the country is experiencing "false fall."

• No, we're not mad about it.

🍽️ L'Echelle, the southeast Division Street bistro that pays homage to the late Naomi Pomeroy, is among the best new eateries in the city, per one critic. (The Oregonian)

🌡️ Portland Fire & Rescue is using a new technique called Tarp-Assisted Cooling with Oscillation, or TACO, to help people suffering from heat-related illnesses.

• The technique involves putting a person on a tarp, covering them in ice and rocking them back and forth. (KATU)

🏊🏼‍♂️ The Peninsula Park pool will stay open into early September due to hot weather, the city said, walking back plans to close it two weeks early for maintenance. (KOIN)

🔥 The Flat Fire, which sparked Thursday, had burned nearly 22,000 acres near the central Oregon town of Sisters as of Monday morning, destroying at least four homes and threatening hundreds more. (OPB)

The City of Portland will close its only shelter site designated for RV dwellers at the end of next month, leaving some residents feeling "abandoned," according to a recent KGW report.

Catch up quick: Sunderland RV Safe Park, located near NE 33rd Drive, opened in 2023 and is part of the city's Safe Rest Village program.

• The shelter, which has 55 vehicle spots and is complete with bathrooms, laundry and free meals, was designed to offer long-term parking and support services with the aim of moving people into permanent housing.

The latest: The Portland Bureau of Transportation owns the land the RV site is on and needs it back for vehicle storage.

• The City Council did not include funding to sustain the RV park, roughly $2 million annually, in its adopted budget earlier this year.

What they're saying: "We came here with high hopes, and we're leaving with broken promises," one resident told KGW.

• Ahead of the site's closure in September, some have already left and moved their vehicles back across the street, on what is known as "RV Row."

It's that time again: Do you know where this little dog is standing (so politely, I might add)?

Here's a few hints:

• To the north there's roses, to the east there's a long history of jazz.
• It's not the only spot nearby to get your smarts.

🧑‍💻 Send us your guesses! The first five people to get it right will receive a special shoutout in the newsletter. Bonus points if you give us some of the site's history.

• The answer will be revealed Wednesday.

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