Is he really this politically inept or is something deeper afoot here? See the first sentence there? Is this the set up for passing the car tax without a vote? Me thinks the end game is such.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Soaring gas prices are not translating into more tax revenue for Portland’s Department of Transportation for a simple reason: people are driving less.PDOT officials are now forecasting a budget shortfall of $2.7 million, money that was earmarked for projects from pothole repair to paving streets. Susan Keil of PDOT said the shortfall is “serious stuff” and the department will ask the city council to give them funds from the city’s “rainy day” reserve fund.

The rest of the story here.