FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Commissioner Meghan Moyer Proposes Budget Amendments, Increasing Budget Oversight and Restoring School Based Mental Health Counselors
Portland, OR – May 7, 2025 – Multnomah County Commissioner Meghan Moyer is proposing two balanced budget amendments as part of her broader effort to increase budget oversight and preserve services.
“During tough economic times, we need to use county funds more efficiently and preserve direct services to vulnerable communities,” Moyer said. “By looking for savings in our internal operations, we can minimize reductions to services and to the frontline staff who are serving our community.”
Commissioner Moyer’s first amendment eliminates two top management positions in order to fund six School Based Mental Health Counselors. "I want to make clear that any reductions in positions I propose is not a reflection on the work being done by those in those positions, but rather a difficult trade-off in order to prioritize programs directly serving the public."
Commissioner Moyer’s second amendment eliminates six communications positions to fund five new positions in the County Budget Office dedicated to financial oversight and analysis. The Chair’s FY26 budget proposed twice as many executive communications staff than budget analysts. Moyer believes that ratio needs to be revisited. “We need to enable the County Budget Office to scrutinize departments’ requested budgets and advise the Board on recommended funding levels. More budget analysts are necessary to help us do more with less. For this fiscal year, and in the future, increased budget oversight is critical in order to minimize reductions to services.”
Commissioner Moyer’s amendments mark a continued focus on finding financial efficiencies, including shifting from an overreliance on local SHS funds rather than federal Medicaid funds to provide services to unhoused people who suffer from mental illness.
Commissioner Moyer will continue to propose amendments that streamline internal services, reduce the number of management positions, and create across-the-board cuts to travel and supply budgets.