1. United States
2. Ore.
3. Letter

Portland's crumbling infrastructure poses a significant risk to public safety and the city's financial stability. Years of neglect have left roads, parks, buildings, and other public assets in a state of dangerous disrepair. If left unaddressed, this deterioration could lead to catastrophic failures causing harm to residents and compounding the already staggering costs of long-deferred maintenance. The audit's findings underscore the urgent need for decisive action to invest in comprehensive infrastructure upgrades and establish a sustainable funding mechanism. Failing to do so threatens to deepen resident dissatisfaction and saddle future generations with an even greater burden. Portland must prioritize repairing its infrastructure before a preventable tragedy occurs that irreparably damages public confidence and safety. The time to act is now before the situation becomes untenable.