When the contractor who fixes the roof of your rental property demands payment, you'd better supply it.  When the bank demands the monthly mortgage payment, you'd better supply it.  When the populace of Portland votes in yet another property tax hike to pay for various services, property owners have to supply it.

You act as if every single landlord is sitting on a free-and-clear gold mine that dropped into their lap from the heavens above and comes with no debt obligations or ongoing expenses.  The word limit in this comments system prevents me from breaking down the whole thing for you, but bottom line is that it takes at least 10 years on average for an investment rental property in Portland to gain a positive cash flow, assuming all goes well, and then you start compensating for the initial down payment, renovations, etc., that you worked to save up for prior to purchasing the property.