Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This commission has inherited quite a challenging budget:
- One-time revenues from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan have ended.
- General Fund revenue is down due to declining commercial property taxes.
- Supportive Housing Services revenue forecasts were dramatically revised downward by Metro. They overestimated how much they could give the County, which means the County overestimated how much it had to spend.
Then there is the great unknown–what will happen to ongoing federal spending? Multnomah County (like all counties) depends heavily on federal funding for everything from mental health to affordable housing to disaster prevention. The County has a team monitoring the chaos and reporting back to the board on a regular basis.
I am taking a proactive approach to this budget.
Here are a few examples:
- I’m using my Medicaid expertise to convene a team focused on increasing our capacity to bill Medicaid for services currently being paid for with local tax dollars. This brings more resources to deal with our addiction and mental health crisis for people experiencing homelessness.
- I’m using my experience as a former contractor to scrutinize our capital projects and make sure they are not overbuilt and overbudget. This makes our dollars for shelter and housing go further.
- I’m using my experience working in Salem to preserve programs that yield the highest rates of return. This makes our government more efficient.
Folks who follow County politics usually say that the budget belongs to the Chair. I take a somewhat different view. The Chair is certainly responsible for assembling the budget. The Commissioners are responsible for approving the budget. But ultimately, I think the budget belongs to you, so you should have a voice in shaping it.
- Here is where you can find the proposed budget for each department. The more eyes we have on these requests, the better our chances of creating a budget that better reflects our values. You’d be surprised at how often regular citizens, not elected officials, uncover errors or inconsistencies.
- Email my office with any budget questions or comments. We have until April 24 to send suggested changes to the Chair.
- Testify before the board. Meetings are on Thursday mornings. You can testify in-person, online, or in writing. Feel free to send us an email if you will be there in-person and I’ll do my best to have one of my staffers there to welcome you.
Thank you for your time. Thank you for your bravery. And thank you for allowing me to serve you.
Sincerely,
Commissioner Meghan Moyer
The last month brought daily opportunities to be in the community, celebrate our cultural institutions, and support the people who deliver essential county-funded services.
Some highlights:
- Oregon Historical Society vault tour visit with my son!
- Listening sessions with representatives from Forest Park Neighborhood Association, Bethel AME Church, Chinese American Citizens Alliance, All Hands Raised, and Latino Network.
- A terrific Black History and Futures Luncheon hosted by Employees of Color ERG
- Financial and operations strategy sessions with mobile crisis responders here in Multnomah County and across Oregon.
- Collaborative meetings with Portland City Councilors on disaster preparedness and mobile crisis response.
- Check ins with Metro Councilors on homeless services and behavioral health
- Briefings from Sheriff Nicole Morrissey O’Donnell on jail capacity and District Attorney Nathan Vasquez on activities in the DA’s office.
- Site visits to county-funded programs, including Outside the Frame, the Department of Community Justice’s Stabilization and Readiness Program, Multnomah County Animal Services, and the 16th and Burnside Recovery Center.
- Attending the Portland Lodge Chinese New Year Celebration and 104th Anniversary Gala Fundraiser at Excellent Cuisine.
- Attend my first session as a Board Member for the Portland Children’s Levy.
- Attend the Sex Trafficking Executive Committee.
- Attended a Central East Side Industrial Council meeting and Hosford / Abernathy neighborhood association meeting to discuss the county’s proposed sobering center.
Please don’t hesitate to contact my office at district1@multco.us. We read every single email and do our very best to respond. I work for you!
Sincerely,
Meghan Moyer
Multnomah County Commissioner District 1
