Portland-Area Governments Have Too Much Funding?
There’s a problem right now that’s nearly unheard of in the public sector. Portland area governments are having trouble spending all the tax money available to them. That’s the case with revenue from two measures passed by Portland-area voters. Currently, elected officials are fighting over the dollars, but ultimately the issues may end up up on the November ballot:
There’s a problem right now that’s nearly unheard of in the public sector.
Portland area governments are having trouble spending all the tax money available to them. That’s the case with revenue from two measures passed by Portland-area voters.
Currently, elected officials are fighting over the dollars, but ultimately the issues may end up up on the November ballot:
Build Housing With Homelessness Dollars?
The regional government Metro is considering going to voters in November to find a new way to use excess revenue from the homeless services measure. Current Metro projections show there will be $431 million in unspent funds at the end of this fiscal year. Officials there have proposed using the funds to build more affordable housing, but that idea now faces notable opposition. The Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington county chairs say they’ll find a way to quickly spend those excess millions on their intended purpose: services for people experiencing homelessness. [Willamette Week]
Carmen Rubio’s Reversal on Climate Dollars
City Commissioner Carmen Rubo initially proposed using $3 million in interest from the Portland Clean Energy Fund revenues to help fill a budget hole for Portland Street Response. There is a financial problem at the city’s program for sending mental health professionals to non-emergency crises on the streets. And the clean energy fund has generated more revenue than expected. But now Rubio has reversed course after local environmental advocates opposed this use of the climate fund.
City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, on the other hand, still wants to use that money and is pushing the City Council to use all of the $12 million in yearly interest from the fund for public safety expenditures, including Portland Street Response. Gonzalez also wants a ballot referral to cap the amount spent on climate, redirecting the rest of the clean energy fund revenues to other city services. (Both commissioners are running for mayor.) [Oregonian 🔒]
More about Local Civics
$106M in Unspent Funds at the Portland Housing Bureau
The Portland Housing Bureau has $106 million in unspent funds, the city administrator disclosed late last week. Some of it may be spoken for, but it leaves open the question of how City Council will spend the funds. When the pot of unspent funds was believed to be only $21 million, City Council was divided over whether to spend it on rent assistance or a Prosper Portland housing project. Maybe all of the above are possible now. [Portland Mercury]
City Cast Portland staffFeb 10, 2026
The Gas Tax and Oregon's Legislative Session
State lawmakers convene in Salem next week after a chaotic few weeks for Democratic state leaders as they scramble to address the issue of transportation funding. They have a key problem: Voters appear to oppose the gas tax passed last fall.
City Cast Portland staffJan 28, 2026
US Sen. Wyden Explains His Votes To Arm Israel
Oregon’s U.S. senators usually vote the same way (like for continuing the government shutdown until healthcare costs are addressed). But a key exception in recent months was Sen. Ron Wyden’s support for continued arms sales to Israel while Sen. Jeff Merkley voted to oppose them. Wyden’s support came up again last weekend — at a Portland Book Festival event featuring Omar Al Ekkad, author of “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” (a title you may recognize as “the one book every Portlander should read right now”).
City Cast Portland staffNov 12, 2025