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Hey Portland,
There's been a lot happening at City Hall this first quarter. Budget season is approaching quickly, I've been advocating for Moda Center renovation funding at the City and State level, and I've been focused on creating more housing development and supporting small businesses.
Let's get into it.
Budget Pre-Season
If you followed along last year, you may remember my budget video series, where I broke down budget season into phases: Preliminary, Proposed, Approved, and Adopted. But before the City's Preliminary Budget is released, there's a significant amount of groundwork to be done. I call this period "budget pre-season."
This is when I review what worked last year, what didn't, and begin outlining my top priorities for District 4 so I can compare those priorities with what I'm hearing from you in the months ahead.
In March, Council held weekly Budget Work Sessions to discuss each service area our city provides, learning about the current level of service offered and gaining a more transparent and accountable view of how the General Fund supports these services as we make decisions in the months ahead.
This level of transparency and accountability is exactly the level of detail I believe Council needs to make informed decisions, and it closely reflects the approach outlined in my Transparent and Balanced Budget Resolution, which takes effect this year, and instructs Parks and Recreation to break down their budget by program and staff, clearly showing which parts are funded by the General Fund, fee revenue, levy dollars, or other sources.
These meetings were productive and will help set us up for success, but there is still a lot of work ahead.
The City is scheduled to host district Budget Listening Sessions. I attended every session last year and I plan to do the same this year. Hearing directly from Portlanders shapes how I approach difficult budget decisions, especially when we're expecting another deficit year.
I take my priorities and align them with what I've heard from Portlanders over the next few months and outline a top three list of must-haves for this year's budget.
Budget season officially kicks off April 20, when the mayor releases his Proposed Budget.
Investing in the City-Owned Moda Center
Moda Center and the Portland Trail Blazers are economic engines we cannot afford to lose. I started by lobbying the State Legislature for nearly $400 million, which led to the Oregon House and Senate approving state funding for the project through S.B. 1501. Now, the City is committing to prioritizing funding for Moda Center renovations.
The Moda Center could be a world-class arena that hosts concerts, events, and games nearly 300 days a year. Each experience amplified by the lights and sounds, food and drink options, and comfortable seats with better views.
Right now, Moda Center is the most outdated arena in the league.
That affects players' and every fan's overall experience when they go to support their team. But we're not just talking about basketball. Portland also misses out on global music artists and major events simply because our arena cannot handle the infrastructure required for their tours. The City owns the arena, purchased for $1 in 2024, it's important that we keep it relevant so it continues to drive Portland's economy.
We do that by keeping what works and renovating the rest. The foundation for a great arena is already laid. Now we need to focus on modernizing the facility with climate-friendly infrastructure and an experience-focused interior with the standard amenities people expect today, all while investing in local workforce development through high-quality construction jobs.
Supporting Small Businesses
Mayor Wilson and I introduced a proposal that will lower taxes for approximately 10,000 small businesses across Portland.
Right now, small businesses are exempt from paying the City's Business License Tax if they earn under $50,000 in gross receipts. That threshold has not been updated since 2007. Nearly two decades later, inflation and economic conditions have changed dramatically.
My proposal raises the exemption to $75,000 in 2026 and to $100,000 in 2027. Updating the threshold acknowledges the costs small businesses face and gives them room to reinvest in their operations, strengthen profit margins, and hire more employees. That means Portlanders employing Portlanders and more dollars reinvested into local storefronts.
This makes filing taxes easier for business owners, by aligning Portland's tax exemption with the County's structure, which already uses a $100,000 exemption threshold.
Many of these business owners stayed through Portland's toughest years. They took risks. They kept their doors open. Now it is time for the City to recognize that commitment and do our part.
On April 1, my City's Business License Tax (BLT) exemption is scheduled for a first reading in front of full Council.
Encouraging Dense & Mixed-Income Housing Development
My Design Review Resolution, which directs the City Administrator to report on existing design review types and recommend potential long-term code changes to streamline the process is taking shape.
In March, I sat down with Permitting & Development and Planning & Sustainability to learn more about the different temporary and permanent levers we have to reform Portland's design review procedures. Per the resolution's direction, the City Administrator will present a full-scope report to Council in April that will include recommendations on where to begin the reform process.
We're also starting to see results from Portland's SDC Waiver. While those results are currently reflected in waiver submissions rather than shovels in the ground, the applications submitted so far could result in 1,720 new apartments and houses since the policy went into effect last August.
These are just the first steps. My goal for Portland, particularly downtown and the Central City, is increased development that delivers dense, mixed-income housing and creative buildings not limited by the unnecessary red tape our systems have built up over the years.
Connecting with You
I committed this year to doing as many constituent events as possible. From early-morning coffee to town halls and neighborhood association meetings, I've attended 11 events this year—and counting. If you've come to one or more, thank you.
My next event is a joint town hall with Council Vice President Clark and City Administrator Lee on April 14 at the Sellwood Community House, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m
See you soon,
Councilor Eric Zimmerman