Mayor Adams doesn't want presidential debates in Portland

by KGW.com Staff

NWCN.com

Posted on January 4, 2012 at 2:02 PM

PORTLAND - Mayor Sam Adams said he was worried a planned Republican presidential debate in Portland in March would dig a deeper hole in the police bureau's budget.

The Oregon Republican Party and Oregon Public Broadcasting planned to televise the debate from the OPB studios on SW?Macadam.

Adams said the city will be forced to make budget cuts after the $1.5?million in overtime spent to cover Occupy Portland last fall.

Adams said the city would pay for any candidate visits, but he's asked both Democrats and Republicans to avoid holding any presidental debates in the downtown area because of the extra costs they bring.

"I?can't stop these events from happening here, so I also ask them to secure a location for the event that was not so costly.?The further you are away from Portland International Airport, the more expensive it is. It's the longer we have to secure a route, the more people that show up in the city at the same time, is exponentially more expensive,"?Adams said.

KGW?Reporter Collette Wieland contributed to this report

Source: http://www.nwcn.com/news/oregon/Mayor-Adams-doesnt-want-presidential-debates-in-Portland-136694218.html

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