FY26 Executive Budget

Infographic description: A timeline graphic titled "Multnomah County Budgeting Timeline" shows the process in five stages with key dates and actions. Stage 1: DEC. 6 - PREPARE (Yellow circle with a pencil icon) Details: General Fund Forecast; Budget Manual; Chair's Policy Guidance; Internal Service Rates Assigned to: ALL DEPARTMENTS Duration: 10 weeks Stage 2: FEB. 14 - REQUEST (Orange circle with a document with lines icon) Details: Departments prioritize reductions, reallocations, and new requests. Assigned to: ALL DEPARTMENTS Duration: 10 weeks Stage 3: APRIL 24 - PROPOSE (Magenta circle with a megaphone icon) Details: Balanced budget released for Board to begin public deliberation. Assigned to: COUNTY CHAIR Duration: 2 weeks Additional notes: Preliminary Work Sessions Stage 4: MAY 8 - APPROVE (Blue circle with a check mark icon) Details: Board review: first opportunity for amendments; 10% rule applies after approval. Assigned to: COMMISSIONERS Duration: 5 weeks Additional notes: Department Work Sessions; Public Hearings Stage 5: JUNE 12 - ADOPT (Teal circle with a handshake icon) Details: Department and Board amendments; budget notes; resolutions; TSCC hearing. Assigned to: COMMISSIONERS

Letter from the Chair

On April 24, 2025 I released my third executive budget as Chair of Multnomah County. Even in the toughest budget years, Multnomah County’s work is vital to the wellbeing of our community. That’s why the budget I proposed makes the best use of the dollars we have to serve our community’s essential needs by making sure resources are going to the people who rely on them most and whose needs we must prioritize during challenging times.

My executive budget summary shares how I’ve balanced these hard decisions and prioritized direct services, homeless services, public safety, mental health, and substance use support services. Due to declining revenue, it required making difficult decisions and significant reductions – making this year’s proposal the hardest balanced budget I’ve ever proposed. It’s not possible to make cuts to this degree and not have it affect the services we provide. Still, my budget ensures no shelter bed is lost, and no health clinic closed.

I believe in a Multnomah County where:

Families and children are safe, healthy, and prosperous
Everyone has a place to call home with support to persevere through a personal crisis
Racial disparities are addressed
All are welcome

In upholding these values throughout our investments, it’s clear that local government feels more important today than ever before.

Our nation and our democracy are under threat. Our County must be a safe haven for our values of democracy, equity, accountability, kindness, and support for one another. I’m raising my children in this community, and the future I’m working toward for them is something I want for everyone.

Tough budgets require tough choices and tradeoffs.

I’m prioritizing direct services that are most impactful and effective for people struggling to make ends meet, who are homeless, and who are ill, have disabilities, or have no access to other care.
I’m prioritizing programs that serve children and families, and communities most impacted by disparities and systemic challenges.
I’m continuing programs that prevent homelessness, improve health outcomes, protect public safety, and strengthen resilience.
I’m making administrative reductions to streamline our operations, and strategic cuts to programs that are not as impactful as we need them to be.

Health and Safety For All

Multnomah County is directly responsible for supporting the health of everyone in our community, at every stage of life. In 2025, Multnomah County ranked among the United States’ healthiest communities. With this budget I ensure we continue responding to the health crises on our streets, in our schools, and across our community, while also promoting public health and safety to prevent these crises from happening in the first place.

Support for Those in the Most Vulnerable Situations

The dollars we have for homelessness are significantly less than what we’ve had in recent years — and far less than what we need to truly address the heartbreaking and complex challenge of having so many people living on our streets.These are our friends and neighbors, and our care for them continues with every dollar we have to give to the direct services that will make the most difference.

Despite our shortfall, this budget maintains a significant investment in critical services. We will continue to prevent thousands from sliding into homelessness by preventing their eviction. We are not reducing a single shelter bed or supportive housing apartment. And we will continue to provide services that help people regain confidence, find a job, and provide for themselves.

Upholding Our Values and Planning for Prosperity

Our mission is to improve the wellbeing of those in Multnomah County by providing accessible, high-quality, and innovative public services that create stability, enhance opportunities, and reduce disparities. Our vision is a diverse, thriving community with a sustainable future where all are safe, connected, and empowered to contribute.

During these tough times, we must uphold our County values: accountability, social and environmental justice, inclusively leading with race, equity and inclusion, and safety and wellbeing. These values underpin our work and foster a sense of safety, trust and belonging, ensuring our actions consistently reflect our principles.

Independently Elected Offices

This executive budget sets spending parameters for the County’s independently elected officials: the Board of County Commissioners, the Auditor, the Sheriff and the District Attorney. Even in a year when we’re making tough decisions across many policies and programs, I believe our elected officials should retain budgets to accomplish their important work. Community safety programs and the Sheriff’s Office have not taken cuts, and eleven positions in the DA’s office previously funded with one-time-only funding are now made permanent by this budget.

What’s Next?

Now that the executive budget has been released, we move into weeks of public presentations on all aspects of our budget, board dialogue, consideration of amendments, and opportunities for the public to share their thoughts.

I make every decision from deep dialogue with County leaders and extensive engagement with all of you. Our office heard from more than 4,000 people through my annual budget survey (results available at this dashboard); a February community town hall; hundreds of constituent testimonies; and emails, conversations, and discussions with local leaders, providers, advocates, and our County Community Budget Advisory Committees. Thank you for taking the time to engage thus far. Your voice really matters.

The world is in flux. Under my leadership, our community can trust that the County will continue to center people who face the most challenging circumstances. The fact that we have these services in our community is a testament to the power of our representative democracy. This is an important moment for all of us to remember the values that drive our commitments to each other. In putting our energies into direct services, we will continue to be the Multnomah County most needed by our community.

JVP

Get Engaged in our Budget Process

Community members are providing testimony at a public budget hearing.

To adopt a budget that truly reflects the values and priorities of the communities we were elected to serve, we need as much input and engagement from as many people as possible. We appreciate your engagement individually and also encourage you to share these resources with your networks, friends, family members and anyone concerned about our next steps as a community.

Watch Chair Jessica Vega Pederson’s Virtual Budget Town Hall

Chair's FY26 Executive Budget Summary (9.67 MB)

Budget Training

You can prepare for our May public budget hearings at an upcoming training. Join staff from my office, the County Office of Community Involvement, and the Coalition of Communities of Color to learn about the county’s budget process, my major budget decisions, and how to prepare for the upcoming public budget hearings.

Please sign up online.

Upcoming Public Budget Events

There will be 3 opportunities this May where community members can share their thoughts on the proposed executive budget. You can learn more about our public budget hearings and sign up to participate online.

Event: Multnomah County Public Budget Hearing #1

Date: Wednesday, May 14 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: Multnomah County Board Room (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland)

Event: Multnomah County Public Budget Hearing #2

Date: Wednesday, May 21 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: Multnomah County East, Sharron Kelley Room (600 NE 8th St, Gresham)

Event: Multnomah County Public Budget Hearing #3

Date: Wednesday, May 28 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: Virtual (link to come)

Contact your County Elected Officials

We encourage you to directly reach out to the Chair’s Office and your District Representatives to share your input, concerns, and questions related to our annual budget.