Services First Budget Amendment

Services First Failed 6 -6

Aye: Councilors Avalos, Dunphy Kanal, Koyama-Lane, Green, Morillo, 

Naye: Councilors Clark, Zimmerman, Pirtle-Guiney, Smith, Ryan, Novick

About the Services First Amendment

The Mayor's proposed budget includes unacceptable cuts to staff in public safety, parks, and other core service areas that Portlanders rely on. Unless council acts, Portland will lose capacity to deliver essential services like public safety and parks maintenance, that will be difficult and expensive to restore in the future. Councilors Mitch Green, Candace Avalos, and Angelita Morillo are leading the Services First (Green-Avalos-Morillo 1) budget amendment to restore these vital resources.

Services First Will Fund

This package will fund 103 Positions using $16.5M in Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) interest already accrued in FY 2025-26, and $4.8M of other fund contingencies (appropriate to their funds) in the following ways:

1. Realignment Pause – Using $8 million for a realignment pause for 46.0 FTE ($3.2 million from PCEF Interest and $4.8 million of other fund contingencies)
2. Advanced Life Support (ALS) Teams – $1.65 million
3. Public Safety Support Specialists (PS3) – $3.45 million (26 FTE)
4. Victims Services Unit – $302,000 (2 FTE)
5. Parks and Recreation – $6.12 million (22 FTE and maintenance and programming)
6. Relay Janitorial Services – $261,000
7. Immigration – $429,000 (1 FTE – Establish Office of Immigration Affairs)
8. 311 Service Restoration – $888,000 (6 FTE)

In 2024 and 2025, Council approved a one-time transfer of PCEF interest for programmatic areas due to budget constraints. Historically, the Mayor and City Administrator have directed where PCEF interest should be applied before council has taken action. The Services First amendment defines that PCEF interest should be used for public safety, parks, and other unacceptable budget gaps that will reduce basic services for Portlanders.

Last Chance to Give Testimony

Portland City Council is gearing up to take key votes to adopt the FY 2026-2027 Budget in the coming weeks. The City is required to adopt a balanced budget each June, and the coming weeks represent the final opportunity for Council and the public to weigh in before formal adoption. The Services First budget amendment will be heard at the Portland City Council Adopted Budget hearing on June 10th, 2026 from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Tell your councilors:

"Please vote yes on the Services First amendment (Green-Avalos-Morillo 1). We need to save jobs across City bureaus that the Mayor cut in his realignment approach. I support restoring Advanced Life Support (ALS) Teams, Public Support Safety Specialists (PS3s), Parks and Recreation maintenance and programming, Relay Janitorial services, and PDX 311. This amendment also reserves funding for the creation of the new Office of Immigrant Affairs."

Watch the hearing online or attend in-person

Register to testify on an agenda item

PCEF Climate Investments Will Continue to be Fully Funded

The Climate Investment Plan (CIP) is the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) five-year plan that guides the program's investments. Through the CIP, PCEF invests in community-led projects that reduce carbon emissions, create economic opportunity, and help make our city more resilient as we face a changing climate. The Climate Investment Plan, and all approved climate projects will continue to receive full funding.

Climate Investment Plan