FY 2027 Chair's Proposed Budget

Letter from Chair Jessica Vega Pederson

Dear Multnomah County,

It is my honor to present the Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget. This is the fourth and ﬁnal Executive Budget I am presenting as County Chair, and the last I will be voting on as a member of the Board of Commissioners after nearly ten years in office.

Our world has gone through immense change in that time, and our local community has faced major challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change in the form of wildﬁres, deadly heat, and historic winter storms. A fentanyl crisis and increase of people living on our streets. Growing hostility to immigrant families, people of color, and LGBTQIA2S+ community members. An unrelenting rise in the cost of living, coupled with devastating cuts to critical services, especially concerning federal funds that local governments rely on.

Through it all, the County has stepped up to defend our communities under threat. Today, the threats we face are increasingly dire. Yet as always, Multnomah County stands as the largest local safety net in Oregon. We are for everyone and always will be.

We have made progress. The County is moving more people off of the streets and into housing than ever before. Preschool for All is providing free, high-quality early education to thousands of children and giving families much needed economic relief. Alternatives to incarceration are connecting people to recovery. And soon, the ﬁnal of the Library Capital Bond projects will be
completed on time and on budget – renewing civic pride in our neighborhoods. I am proud that we continue to rise to the occasion, doing the work we do best in difficult circumstances.

It’s my goal to leave us in the best position possible to continue to support our community despite federal and local challenges and a difficult ﬁscal landscape. I am prioritizing programs that are already working and making an impact now, and that will be sustainable for years to come. This budget seeks to ﬁnd the right balance of direct service and administrative investments to best
serve Multnomah County residents – in particular, those who rely on us the most.

Nevertheless, a budget deﬁcit of this magnitude – $11 million for the County General Fund and a $67 million funding gap for homeless services – means that we cannot avoid painful decisions that will impact our internal workforce, community partners, and the services we provide. I made tough choices to prioritize vulnerable neighbors and improve how our government works. These are necessary to produce a sustainable budget, without over-reliance on one-time dollars. The tough tradeoffs underscore my commitment to ﬁscal integrity, effective governance, and most importantly – direct services.

We have faced multiple years of decreasing funding for homelessness services at the same time that the need has increased. In this context, this budget makes smart investments across the continuum of support. At a time of record evictions, my budget makes an ongoing commitment to rent assistance and homelessness prevention services that keep people housed. My budget also improves services that will move people from shelter into housing more efficiently. To do this I had to make the challenging decision to close some shelter beds after reviewing facility conditions, geographic impact, and housing placement outcomes.

The County receives significant funding from the federal and state government. As this federal administration retreats from disease fighting efforts, this budget protects many impactful local public health programs. My budget further sustains the Behavioral Health Resource Center and programs that provide critical resources to people who struggle with mental health or addiction. And it continues to fund a network of health clinics that serve anyone, regardless of their identity or economic status.

Safety remains a priority. My budget invests in maintaining jail capacity while providing pathways away from jail and towards treatment. I’ve also allocated dollars to support survivors of gun violence and domestic and sexual violence. And while attacks on the safety of our immigrant communities persist, we are directing assistance to families in need.

Furthermore, this budget marks significant milestones for many major projects, including the County Strategic Plan, centralizing internal coordination, shared services, and other important efforts I’ve led during my administration to modernize and align our organization.

I love the work of Multnomah County, and how it truly matters to our community. I have had the privilege of working alongside the very best who do so much good work every single day. From the libraries to the animal shelter. From the elections office to the operators atop the Hawthorne Bridge. From health clinics to in-home services for aging residents. From homeless shelters to work training programs. From preschool classrooms to dental services. From the deputies on River Patrol to the halls of the Behavioral Health Resource Center. From Corbett to Sauvie Island. This budget doesn't just fund systems and programs, it enables incredible leaders to make a positive difference in hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. Despite the challenges we face today, this budget reflects my commitment to the thriving future of Multnomah County.

Sincerely,
Jessica Vega Pederson
Multnomah County Chair