Metro Councilors on Thursday tweaked the coming fiscal year's budget proposal, adding funding for the Regional Active Transportation Plan and adding one-time spending after an increase in revenue this spring.
The council unanimously voted to approve two budget amendments. One added $1.7 million in spending to the coming fiscal year's budget after roughly that much more revenue came in in the 2012-13 fiscal year.
"The additional fund balance has been fueled by the start of a recovery in Glendoveer golf revenues, record attendance at the zoo in the past few months and the recognition of higher underspending patterns," wrote Metro budget coordinator Kathy Rutkowski.
Among the expenditures proposed in the budget amendment are $200,000 for the maintenance reserve for the Oregon Zoo concert stage, $135,000 for active transportation support, $125,000 for a position in Metro's development center and $75,000 for preliminary design of projects at the Glendoveer Golf Course.
The council also set aside $130,000 to restore a position in the Community Development department, $82,000 for restoring two half-time equivalencies and $18,000 for restoring the internship program in the Metro Council office and supporting closed captioning to Metro Council television broadcasts.
In the other budget amendment, $270,000 was authorized to support follow-up work on the Regional Active Transportation Plan. The amendment was spearheaded by councilors Kathryn Harrington and Bob Stacey.
"We need to continue our focused work on active transportation," Harrington said. "To the people and the businesses who make up our region, this budget amendment enables our communities, your cities and counties and Metro to work together to meet the needs you have today and out into future decades of our young 21st century."
Councilor Carlotta Collette said she supports the work of the active transportation program.
"There are kids who live three blocks from school who are driven to school. That doesn't make any sense," Collette said. "There are neighborhoods that don't have any sidewalks. There are communities that don't have easy bicycle access. This action, the active transportation plan isn't going to solve all of that, but it's a huge step in the right direction."
The Multnomah County Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission signed off on Metro's proposed $481 million budget on June 6. The Metro Council is scheduled to formally adopt the budget later this month.