The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the fiscal year 2025-26 budget, where Chair Jessica Vega Pederson laid out a $4 billion proposal tackling a stark funding gap, pinned on shaky revenue from local measures and federal cutbacks. Attendance was solid; the meeting saw 70 in-person comments and 120 written submissions, according to a statement obtained by Multnomah County's news portal.
Pederson's budget gives a nod to children, families, and those scrapping by without a roof over their head or grappling with undue legal burdens, with the Chair commenting, "Your feedback informs our decision-making as we continue to work toward an adopted budget in June that is truly representative of the communities and partners we serve." Legal representation and job opportunities for the vulnerable were on the audience's wish list, alongside a plea to heal historical wounds inflicted on the local Chinese community.
Legal services drew particular attention, with a dozen folks urging the County to back eviction defense, and related support services, Sonja Good Stefani of Metropolitan Public Defender told the County's news portal that the proposed cuts to her department's programs would sting the low-income community members and those without a home. Jobs training and employment services advocates buzzed the room too, sporting yellow vests in support of workforce programs offering more than a paycheck, but a shot at self-sufficiency, according to Deanna D'Souza from Worksystems.
Health was high on the agenda; Nia Hawk, a County nurse, called on the board to keep public health clinics staffed up, especially to battle surging rates of STDs in vulnerable communities. She highlighted, "Patients value our non-judgmental, informed and affordable care," in a testimony garnered by the Multnomah County's news outlet. The impending budget cuts threaten not just health services, but also the County's ongoing efforts to respect and restore the Chinese community's heritage, affected by the removal of gravesites in the 1920s, with Helen Ying of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Portland Chapter and Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation, pushing for additional memorial funds.
The community still has a chance to bend the Board's ear with two hearings remaining - one in Gresham on May 21, and a virtual one on May 28. For those leaning towards the written word, the County encourages emailing the board clerk or dropping thoughts on their feedback page. With tight purse strings and a lurching economy, Multnomah County's fiscal blueprint is still being sketched.
