Dear Neighbors,
A lot is going on—but first, I hope you all had a chance to take in Portland’s iconic cherry blossoms this season.
Okay—let’s get into it.
Portland’s Budget
From now until June, my focus is clear: Portland’s city budget. While budget season officially kicks off on May 7th, when Mayor Wilson releases his proposed budget, I’ve already been working to ensure our core services are prioritized.
As Finance Chair, my job is to make sure the budget works for you—funding the essentials Portlanders rely on every day and providing transparency about what the city was able to preserve by making the hard decision to give certain items up.
First and foremost, preserving public safety funding is non-negotiable. It’s what allows us to keep improving emergency response times, reduce drug-related harm, prevent property crimes like smash-and-grabs, and address gun violence.
Second, recreation is a core city service—period. Protecting access to youth sports, after-school programs, and community activities is a top priority for me. Youth sports cannot dissolve into an expensive, pay-to-play model reserved only for families who can afford club fees.
When I ran for office, I said every Portland public school student should have access to recreation, no matter their family’s income—and I meant it.
I grew up playing sports. I coached for nine years.
I did not come into public office to watch youth sports be stripped away during my first year. Absolutely not.
That’s why we need to get serious about how we use the resources we do have—starting with the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF).
PCEF has grown into one of the largest dedicated funds in the city. No other program in the city is allowed to stockpile five years’ worth of operational funding. Our job is to put those dollars to work—each year they’re collected.
It’s time we use those funds more aggressively, in ways that align with PCEF’s mission and meet our city’s most urgent needs:
- Expanding the sidewalk program to East and Southwest Portland isn’t just infrastructure—it’s climate action.
- Funding the care and maintenance of natural area parks aligns with climate goals and frees up general fund dollars for other priorities.
- Supporting street tree planting and maintenance helps Parks & Recreation, grows a healthier urban canopy and benefits every corner of the city.
And this is just the beginning. So, how does the budget process actually work?
It’s complex, but here’s a simple breakdown of the four key stages—and when they happen:
I’ll be releasing a short explainer video series in the coming weeks where I dive deep into each stage—keep an eye out:
Downtown Businesses Optimistic
The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe 2024 Business Survey shows an optimistic outlook on downtown’s progress including businesses reporting: fewer thefts, less storefront and property damage, and fewer employee resignations due to safety concerns.
We’re at a turning point downtown, and these improvements are worth recognizing—but the work isn’t finished. 78% of businesses still cite unsheltered homelessness as their biggest challenge, followed by safety and cleanliness.
While businesses are seeing improvements, many people still don’t feel safe in the Central City. According to the 2025 Metro Chamber State of Downtown & Central City Report, foot traffic in Portland is down—by as much as 40% in some areas. Between 2019 and 2024, we lost an estimated 11 million visitors, nearly half of whom live within 20 miles of the city.
These are our neighbors, friends, and family. So how do we bring people back?
We do what any good neighbor would: make them feel safe. We continue cleaning up downtown streets and parks, addressing the unsheltered homelessness crisis, and getting people off the streets.
On this issue, I sat down with the Mayor, Metro, County, and other elected officials at Portland Metro Chamber Annual Briefing to discuss how we shift from ‘doom loop’ narrative to “boom loop” thinking.
More Progress in Portland
I toured the upcoming James Beard Public Market and the Steel Bridge Skatepark—two ambitious projects that are an essential part of the equation to revitalizing downtown Portland and the Central City. I also met with the team at The Square, who are hard at work organizing Pioneer Courthouse Square’s concert series and public events. I got a glimpse of what’s ahead, and I look forward to seeing large crowds of locals and visitors enjoying “Portland’s Living Room.”
From Portland to Washington D.C.
I joined Councilor Avalos, Councilor Clark, and Councilor Smithin Washington D.C. for the National League of Cities (NLC). This event brings together leaders from cities big and small to strengthen the role of local government at the federal level.
It was a very proud moment for me to represent Portland—the city I grew up in—at a national event like this.
While in D.C., I met with nearly all of Oregon’s congressional delegation to discuss the White House’s proposed attack on tax-exempt municipal bonds. These bonds are critical for funding everything from sidewalks and bike lanes to police stations and hospitals—all while supporting local jobs. Oregon’s congressional delegation agrees we must keep these bonds tax-exempt to ensure taxpayer dollars go further for our communities.
Urban Forestry Tree Code
Sophie Peel’s article, “Rigid Enforcement of the City’s Tree Code Is a Nightmare for Portlanders,” highlights an ongoing issue: Portland’s tree regulations have overgrown their original intent.
The Urban Forestry Commission, created by Title 11 Trees in 2015, oversees regulations, budgets, and policies for Portland’s urban forest. While tree protections are important, these regulations have reached the point where they are negatively impacting Portlanders—even on their own property.
On April 1st, the Finance Committee held a hearing on Urban Forestry’s code enforcement policies, where we heard public testimony from residents across the city. If you submitted testimony, whether in-person or written, thank you for speaking up.
The ability to appeal to your government for free is important and I believe that it should be preserved.
By the end of the Finance Committee meeting, we successfully voted to reduce Urban Forestry’s enforcement, administrative, and violation fees—providing relief to Portlanders, and refocusing Urban Forestry back to its core goal: expanding Portland’s tree canopy. This amendment will now move to the full council for a final vote.
What is Eric Eating?!
This month, I stopped by El Pilon, a downtown food cart serving delicious Colombian food. If you haven’t been, their chicken patacon is a must-try—they really pile on the shredded chicken. Yum!
Lastly, Thank You
Many of you have scheduled constituent meetings week in and week out—and I really appreciate those. They’re incredibly helpful, and the perspective you bring is something I carry with me every day as we make decisions for the city.
Until next month,
Councilor Eric Zimmerman