04:37 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 19, 2006

By KRISTINA BRENNEMAN, kgw.com Staff

Portland City Commissioners Wednesday approved a $43 million funding plan for a new aerial tram connecting Oregon Health & Sciences University to the South Waterfront.

PDC sketch

An artist rendering of the Portland aerial tram.

But before they did, commissioners grilled staffers over the funding.

Already facing heat from the public about the tram costs, the commissioners were leaving nothing to chance.

Commissioner Randy Leonard questioned cost estimates for new streets, the new streetcar line extension and a request for vague costs like ‘economic recruitment.’

It was a marathon Q-and-A session.

“I took for faith a lot of what's being presented,” Leonard said. “I'm not taking it for faith this time so I hope I don't offend anybody by these questions, but I want you to understand the community can't have it both ways.”

Commissioners Leonard and Erik Sten were outvoted by their colleagues, who supported the $43 million funding plan.

Under the proposal, OHSU would increase its tram funding by $7.5 million to $38.2 million. The city was legally obligated for any tram construction expenses above $40 million.

Even though new condos in the district will bring in property tax money more slowly in the short term, Commissioner Sam Adams predicts a huge tax base payoff in the years to come.

(KGW reporter Randy Neves contributed to this report.)