Many applaud Mayor's budget but concerns linger about cuts to technical assistance on city tree laws; Portland, OR

Groups applaud mayor's proposed budget – OregonLive.com: PORTLAND NEWS
by James Mayer, The Oregonian
Thursday May 21, 2009, 10:18 PM
A few bemoaned cuts, but most who testified at the Portland budget hearing tonight thanked Mayor Sam Adams and the city council for saving programs for seniors, the homeless and the arts.
Several dozen citizens showed up at Mt. Tabor Middle School to testify on Mayor Sam Adams' proposed budget. The council will vote on the budget next Wednesday.
Lisa Reed Guarnero criticized cuts to the Vision into Action program. When the planning and sustainability bureaus merged, she said, "It felt like everything came to a screeching halt."
Ken Forcier, complained about the loss of funding for the tree manual, a project to place all the tree regulations in one place.
"Our tree canopy is coming under attack daily," Forcier said.