Red light cameras like this one at 39th and Sandy in Northeast Portland may be on the chopping block. (KATU Photo)

Morale is already low among Portland police officers, and a new round of proposed budget cuts could only make things worse.

Mayor Charlie Hales ordered all city bureaus to trim five percent from their budgets, that means the bureau needs to find a way to save eight million dollars.

Red light cameras like are one of the surprising items up for elimination.

Lisa Snell lives near one in Northeast Portland. While most drivers might like to see those cameras eliminated, along with the fines that come with them, Snell knows first hand how useful they can be.

Snell was hit by a driver who ran a red light. She says these tools help prevent that.

"I really think that having these occasional cameras it is a deterrent. How can we help people make the right choice and just slow down a little bit? Knowing that camera is there I think does remind people to be a little more cautious," Snell said.

But this is just one of the proposed cuts, the bureau also says it could save money by eliminating school resource officers. It would then be up to patrol officers to respond to all calls at high schools like Grant, where Michael Benson's daughter is a sophomore.

"It seems like we always have to wait for something bad to happen before we can prioritize those funds and community resources for something that might prevent a problem in the future," Benson said.

So Benson is hoping the mayor and the bureau will reconsider that move, saying school safety should be our top priority.

Portland Fire & Rescue also has to trim 5 percent from its budget -- that's more than $5 million.



Its proposed cuts call for the elimination of 52 positions and the closure of two fire stations.

Spokesman Lt. Rich Tyler said the bureau has already had to make drastic cuts over the past several years and another round won't be easy. He also said the city's fire rating, which sets rates for home and business owners could be affected by the cuts. If the rating falls below 80 percent, those rates could go up. The bureau's rating is at 81 percent right now.

These are just proposals. The mayor and city council will get to weigh in before any final decisions are made.