Preventing the next Oregon electricity rate hikes

Data Centers Electricity Grab

After rate hikes have sent some Portland electricity bills soaring nearly 50% in the last four years, legislators are looking for ways to protect constituents’ pocketbooks. They’re working on a bill that would pass on the costs of new infrastructure to the fast-growing (and electricity-intensive) tech sector’s data centers. [Oregonian 🔒]

• Key facts: State law offers tax breaks (through 2032) to data centers. They now account for 10% of the state’s electricity use, which could quadruple in the next decade. [Oregonian 🔒]

The Possessions Lost in Homeless Sweeps

When local officials clear out homeless encampments, it’s their duty to safeguard the belongings they collect. But ProPublica reporter Nicole Santa Cruz found that in Portland, these possessions are only returned to their owners about 4% of the time. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Homeless Services Funding Less Than Projected

The three metro-area counties will receive less money than projected from the regional homeless services tax. In Multnomah County, that means a 14% decrease, from $156.5 million to $134.3 million for this fiscal year. [Oregonian 🔒]