Mayor Wheeler releases FY22-23 Proposed Budget

News Article
A budget with ears
Published

"Recovery is not enough. Creating a budget with a recovery mindset would solely treat surface-level symptoms. We need to push beyond recovery and put funding towards the root causes of the challenges we face. We must invest to heal and build for the future and that is what my proposed budget does," -Mayor Wheeler, May 4, 2022.


Mayor Wheeler released his FY22-23 Proposed Budget on May 5, 2022. This budget is focused on the four shared priority areas of City Council - homelessness, community safety, livability and economic recovery. These priorities are viewed through three lenses: equity, climate goals and high-performance government. 

 FY 2022-23 Proposed Budget | Portland.gov

Remarks from the Mayor on his FY22-23 Proposed Budget from May 4, 2022 can be read here: 


Budget highlights:

Homelessness

Portland is no exception to the growing housing crisis facing cities across the United States. Without greater attention and investment from state and federal partners to provide immediate and long-term housing solutions, homeless Portlanders are living in squalid and inhumane conditions.  

Mayor Wheeler's proposed budget invests a record amount into homeless services (over $85M) and includes strategies to grow our affordable housing stock across the city via land banking for future affordable housing development and preservation of currently affordable housing units.  

These investments also fully fund the Joint Office of Homeless Services ($47M), continuing current service operations, while expanding alternative shelter options with Safe Rest Villages and motels. The budget also puts funding toward the continued operations of the Streets Services Coordination Center (SSCC), a new centralized incident command structure that streamlines the connection of local agencies and service providers to Portlanders experiencing homeless. 

$36.2MFund Safe Rest Villages
$8.26MFund the motel shelter strategy
$7.5MFunding continuation of current service levels with $7.5M in one-time General Fund to the JOHS
$5.8MARPA and General Fund 1x for land banking for affordable housing
$5.2MPreserve currently affordable housing set to expire
$3.5MBroadway Corridor project
$1.M Implement the new Street Services Coordination Center

Community Safety

Refocusing, reforming, and restaffing Portland’s community safety network has been a top priority for Mayor Wheeler since being elected as Mayor in 2016. This budget continues to invest in transformational change and strengthens the city's diverse network of crisis prevention and intervention tools.

Refocus: Refocusing the way our system functions by expanding 311’s hours to 24/7 coverage and expanding staffing for the Bureau of Emergency Communication (BOEC) to reduce 911 wait times.

Reform: Reforming by investing in both upstream gun violence programs through the Office of Violence Prevention and Community Safety Division, while diversifying our types of responders by fully funding Portland Street Responses’ 24/7 citywide expansion and expanding the park ranger program. We are also reforming the system by increasing funding for community-led policing and accountability via the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP), implementing body worn cameras and staffing for the Focused Intervention Team Community Oversight Group (FITCOG).

Restaff: Restaffing by increasing the number of permanent unarmed Public Safety Specialists (PS3) positions. 

$10.2MOffice of Violence Prevention 
$11.5M Portland Street Response to operate 24/7 citywide
$4.6MIncrease Public Safety Specialists (PS3) by 36
$4.5M Increased funding for Police accountability (PCCEP, Body Worn Cameras, FitCog staffing)
$2.9M Expanding 311 to be 24/7
$1.8MExpansion of Park Ranger program
$1.6MExpand Portland's Police investigation capacity and launch pilots to deter car theft
$1MSummer ceasefire investments 

Economic Recovery

The pandemic has not impacted local businesses equally. Some small businesses have seen an increase in revenue over the past few months, while others continue to face challenges and the economy continues to progress slowly and with uncertainty.  

This budget continues to support economic recovery and the promotion of small and minority-owned emerging businesses. The budget also invests in cultural and affinity group organizations to provide assistance with marketing, capacity building, technical/professional services, activation and re-tenanting, and re-careering the workforce. 

$5.1M Continue Healthy Business Program 
$4.5MSupport for small businesses 
$3M Workforce development (Prosper) 
$2.25MCommercial activations and re-tenanting
$1.5M Launch citywide Events Office 
$1.3MStreamline permitting system 
$1MSupport for various initiatives through the Inclusive Business Resource District 
$700KMinority Chambers of Commerce 
$500KCultural institutions 
$456,90Emergency relief funds to support cannabis businesses impacted by pandemic
$350KRent support for arts & culture organizations 
$325KCitywide food cart planning
$246K Support scaling of minority technology businesses

Livability 

Portlanders continue to see trash and graffiti across their neighborhoods and business districts across the city. This budget invests in partnership with City bureaus and neighborhoods to provide coordinated clean-ups. It also makes large capital investments in key park and transportation facilities to ensure these can be enjoyed by generations to come. 

$9.2MRepair Mt. Scott Community Center and redevelopment of O'Bryant Square
$4.7MRepave SE Division
$3.3M Traffic signal rebuilds to improve transportation safety systems
$2.2MContinued graffiti clean-up across the city
$1.25MCoordinated citywide clean-up of trash in neighborhoods
$250KFunding for Neighborhood Coalition Offices to provide small grants to community groups

City Council is listening! Join the community and City Council for virtual events and hearings focused on the City of Portland budget for FY 2022-23.

Upcoming virtual events:

  • Wednesday, May 11, 2:00pm-5:00pm – Approved Budget Hearing
  • Wednesday, May 18, 2:00-3:30pm – Utility Rate Hearing
  • Wednesday, May 25, 9:30- 11:30am – Second Hearing on the Utility Rate Hearing Approval (Second Reading - no public testimony) 
  • Tuesday, June 7, 9:30-11:30am – Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission Hearing on the Approved Budget
  • Wednesday, June 8, 2:00-5:00pm – Adopted Budget Hearing (First Reading)
  • Thursday, June 15, 2:00pm – Adopted Budget Hearing (Second Reading - no public testimony) 

Written Comments

You may also submit written comments to Council by filling out the budget comment form or by emailing BudgetComment@portlandoregon.gov