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Salem City Council Tackles Housing Wins and Transit Troubles
Salem's city council juggled some impressive victories alongside thorny challenges Monday night, covering everything from national housing recognition to a controversial bus tax proposal.
Housing Authority Staff Hit It Out of the Park
Salem scored a major win when two Housing Authority staff members earned a rare national certification. Interim City Manager Krishna Namburi announced that "Nicole Utz and Jessica Blakely have earned the prestigious certified management executive designation from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials... Nicole and Jessica are the only two individuals in Oregon to hold the certification and only 38 professionals nation nationwide have reached this level."
But there's a flip side to the housing story. When they tried reaching out to 200 people on housing voucher waiting lists this July—their first attempt since 2023—the results were pretty sobering. Housing Administrator Nicole Utz explained: "86 were returned as undeliverable and 65 individuals did not respond, leaving only 49 families for us to continue to work with."
Discrimination Survey Shows Troubling Reality
The Human Rights Commission dropped some hard-to-hear numbers about discrimination in Salem. Vice Chair Robert Marshall didn't mince words: "82.5% of people experiencing homelessness... 67.6% saying they experience discrimination on a weekly or daily basis. Nearly 7 in 10 of our unhoused residents face discrimination on a weekly or daily basis."
Even more concerning? Most homeless residents won't report problems to police. Marshall noted that "68.2% of people experiencing homelessness said they're unlikely to report discrimination to the Salem Police Department."
Cherriots Wants Businesses to Fund Transit Expansion
Here's where things got spicy. Salem's bus system, Cherriots, is considering a new tax on businesses to expand service, and they can do it without asking voters.
Board President Maria Hinojos Pressey explained why they're in this pickle: "When transit districts were first established back in the 60s, they were established to be funded with employer paid payroll taxes... Whenever Cherriots was founded in the 70s, they were specifically line item excluded from this funding source."
Their solution? A 0.7% payroll tax on businesses that would bring in about $39 million annually. "We're replacing all the hourly routes with higher frequency routes either 30 minutes or even 15 minutes... the community want us to double our services what we have on the weekends."
How do you feel about Cherriots' proposed pay roll tax?
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Spray Fountains Stay Open Through September
Good news for families soaking up the late summer sun: Salem’s spray fountains and splash pads will stay open until October 1 this year, thanks to lingering warm weather. Normally, the fountains close after Labor Day, but the city has extended the season so kids (and kids at heart) can cool off a little longer.
📍 Locations & Hours
Englewood Park (1260 19th St NE) • 12–8PM
Fairmount Park (650 Rural St S) • 12–8PM
Northgate Park (3575 Fairhaven Ave NE) • 12–8PM
Riverfront Park (200 Water St NE) • 10AM–8PM
River Road Park (3045 River Rd N) • 10AM–8PM
Wes Bennett Park (2200 Baxter Rd SE) • 12–8PM
West Salem Park (265 Rosemont Ave NW) • 12–8PM
☀️ Grab the sunscreen, pack some snacks, and enjoy one last splash before fall sets in!
Here’s what’s happening this weekend in beautiful Salem, Oregon
Tuesday–Sunday • 9:00AM–5:00PM
Tons of fall fun with rides, food, photo ops, and giant pumpkins! Admission: $20 (Tue–Fri), $30 (Sat–Sun) for ages 3–54.
📅 Oct 4: Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off & Drop — Come see 1,000+ lb pumpkins crash and smash at 1:00PM!
🍎 Oct 25–26: Cider Festival — 11:00AM–4:00PM with local cider + beer tastings.
Sept 27–Oct 30 • Daily
Celebrate harvest season with hayrides, a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and live weekend music!
⏰ Weekdays: 9:00AM–6:00PM (Admission $5: 9AM–1PM, $7: 1PM–6PM)
⏰ Saturday: 10:00AM–5:00PM • Sunday: 11:00AM–5:00PM
🎟️ Weekend admission: $12/person
📅 Thursday, September 25
🎸 Punk Nights: City of Pieces & more! @The BAD Space, Santiam Brewing • 7:00PM
📅 Friday, September 26
🌈 Sapphic Singles Dating/Mingling Event @Southside Speakeasy • 6:00PM–8:30PM
🎶 Panter Belico Concerto @Oregon State Fairgrounds • 7:00PM
🌺 Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku Jr., Tia Carrere, & Daniel Ho @Salem's Historic Grand Theatre • 7:00PM
📅 Saturday, September 27
🍎 Apple-Palooza! @Fordyce Farm • 10:00AM–6:00PM • FREE
🎃 Heiser Farms Pumpkin Patch Opening Weekend @21425 Grand Island Loop, Dayton • 10:00AM–5:00PM
🧘 Yoga + Coffee @Prismatic Coffee Company • 12:00PM–1:00PM
🏁 Marion County Relay For Life @Marion County Fairgrounds • 4:00PM–8:00PM
🛼 CCRD Season Opener Double Header @Cherry City Roller Derby • 4:30PM–9:00PM
💃 Swing Dance Night ft. The Smut City Jellyroll Society @The BAD Space, Santiam Brewing • 7:00PM–10:30PM
🎺 MarchFourth Live @Salem's Historic Grand Theatre • 8:00PM
📅 Sunday, September 28
🕺 You Should Be Dancing: A Tribute To The Bee Gees @Salem's Historic Grand Theatre • 7:00PM
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Thanks for keeping up with Salem this week!
Spotted something interesting in town? Drop us a note at [email protected] We love hearing from you.
See you next Thursday,
Ernie