I’m Jane, the creator of this website. I’m a queer, progressive, soon to be working mother, in Portland OR. I love our beautiful city, the nature we’re surrounded with, and the wonderful people here. I believe in Portland and there is no place I would rather be. I created this website because I am being pushed out. Despite being dual income, the harsh reality is that cost of living is skyrocketing, especially the cost of raising a child. Due to fertility issues, I also have extra financial hurdles to motherhood. This does not have to be the case. The Preschool For All tax is eating away my savings and scheduled to tax a larger cut of them every year, all without any guarantee that my future child will be able to take advantage of it.
I write under a pseudonym, as some (a vocal minority, I hope) staunch supporters of PFA have been hostile bullies to anyone who criticizes the program. I am told I am the “ultra-wealthy” and need to pay my share, yet this year I had to decide between IVF and fixing the roof on my house. It is true that I have been fortunate enough to have this opportunity, and in most reasonable cases, I have been a supporter of paying my share higher taxes to help those in need.
But PFA is different. In this website you will find the harsh facts of the situation, that our county refuses to be transparent about for some idealogical reason. The program is not working, and we’re being squeezed dry.
With the tax hike looming and an aggressive push to raise the tax, and a staunch refusal to index the tax to inflation, as well as massive surpluses for the program in a city with so many unfunded needs, every month my partner & I have the heavy debate of whether now is the time to move across the river, further from our family and beautiful city, so we can afford a good life for our future child.
I’m not wealthy, nor am I a conservative or part of some sort of “well-funded anti-tax lobby.” I’m a hopeful mother who believes in Portland, and believes we owe it to ourselves to do something better – a Portland For All, for generations to come.
With a vocal minority dominating the conversation, bullying and calling the critics of PFA “undemocratic”, and most Portlanders wanting a fair, nuanced, good for Portland perspective, I created this website to document the arguments against PFA, the facts of the situation, and ways working families – people who do not have time to show up to every town hall and be the loudest voice in the room – can make sure their story is heard. Enough is enough.
With love to Portland,
– Jane