PORTLAND, Ore. -- First he fired his police chief. Now Portland Mayor Sam Adams has fired the citizen volunteers who help shaped her budget.
Is this just reform or is it also payback. The leader of that committee says it's the latter.
"I knew that the Mayor was going to have issues with me," said TJ Browning, a leader on the citizen volunteer committee helping oversee police budgets. "It's shocking to me that my whole committee was insulted."
Browning openly criticized Adams for firing his previous police chief -Rosie Sizer- in part, due to budget issues. But Browning didn't think punishment would impact the rest of her group.
"(This is about) winning and losing, not the greater good. It's not good public policy it's hanging onto power. It's arguments. It's personal pettiness," she said.
Adams disagrees.
"It's not personal. I need to do -the chief needs to do- what's in the best interest of the city. We need good oversight of the Police Bureau, financial oversight of the Police Bureau. (I've) not been pleased with it. I've made that very clear."
Adams says this is vital part of police reform. He wants more diversity on the committee. His new police agrees and wants budget advice from new thinkers.
"Honestly, I want a fresh perspective and a fresh look at our budget," said Portland Police Chief Mike Reese. "I want critical eyes on what we're doing and how we're doing it."
"This is Portland, Oregon," said Browning."We don't do things like that here."
Browning and her colleagues are allowed to reapply for their volunteer positions. The departure of the current police budget committee includes the loss of a 16-year volunteer, a Harvard-educated attorney, a vice president at Wells Fargo Bank and the director of Habitat for Humanity.
Chief Reese has extended the deadline for applications until later this month.
