Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler is digging deep into the city's pockets, proposing an $8.2 billion fiscal year 2024-25 budget. Unveiled on May 2, Wheeler's financial plan is poised to shore up city services that range from park construction to emergency response. A hefty 90% of this budget pie is already earmarked for ongoing commitments within the General Fund, representing the core functions that keep Portland ticking, according to a statement released by the Mayor's Office.
Citizens will get their say on where the cash flows are, with the Council set to meet as the Budget Committee on May 7 for a work session, followed by a public hearing on May 9. In a nod to transparency, the nitty-gritty of the proposed budget will hit the web for public consumption on May 3rd.
Public safety takes a front seat in Wheeler's financial vehicle, as the budget fuels the Portland Police Bureau with an additional $5 million for overtime needs and other incentives. The fire department isn't left in the smoke either, nabbing an extra $10 million for service levels and new hires to dampen future overtime fires. Programs like the Community Health Assess and Treat initiative and the Portland Street Response get their financial lifelines, with promises of ongoing support to bolster their foundations, ensuring we build on our progress in becoming a safer, more livable community.
With homelessness and livability issues plaguing Portland streets, Wheeler’s budget seeks to erect a new citywide program, “Portland Solutions,” sheltering various existing efforts under a single roof to enhance service delivery. According to the Mayor's Office, task forces aimed at auto and retail theft get a $350,000 boost, and the Joint Office of Homeless Services will be padded with over $25 million. The Bureau of Transportation will be greasing its wheels with an additional $2.2 million dedicated to greening and securing the streets.
To spur economic recovery during challenging times, Wheeler's budget blueprint allocates funds to unblock the city’s permitting bottlenecks. It also allocates a million bucks to an Office of Small Business, engineered to dish out repair grants. A whopping $100 million from the Portland Clean Energy Fund is reserved to confront a house of cards in low-income housing over the next half-decade.
The Charter Transition hasn't been forgotten. Millions are set to support the new city management framework and infrastructure, ensuring the well-oiled governance machine is ready to hit the ground running in 2025. The Portland Clean Energy Fund will channel over $600 million into projects that align with the city's sustainable aspirations, from street trees to community centers.
