The 2011 county budget: What it is, how it will affect you, and how you can have your say.
What is the budget?
The budget is a plan for how the county will spend its money over the next fiscal year, which starts on July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2011.
How will it affect me?
The budget determines how much funding each of the county’s services will get. Some of these services, like administering elections and inspecting restaurants, directly affect nearly every county resident. Others, such as winter shelters for homeless families, serve the most vulnerable members of our community. The county does not have enough money this year to pay for all of its services (and cannot, by law, spend more money than it has) so it must reduce or eliminate funding for some.
How can I have my say on which services will be affected?
County Chair Jeff Cogen will publicly release the Executive Budget—a sort of first draft of the budget—on May 13. The public will then have opportunities to comment on this draft budget at three meetings:
Tuesday, May 25; 6 to 8 p.m.
10301 NE Glisan St, Portland
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)
hosted by the Coalition of Communities of Color
Thursday, May 27; 6 to 8 p.m.
600 NE 8th St, Gresham
Multnomah County East Building, Sharron Kelley Conference Rooms A&B
Wednesday, June 2; 6 to 8 p.m.
501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Multnomah Building, Board Room
The chair and commissioners will attend these meetings to hear public testimony. The board will propose changes and take a final vote on the budget at their regular board meeting on June 10.
Learn more at the county’s budget website.