PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — City leaders are preparing to approve a $7.1 billion budget for Portland, while at the same time, searching for a way to lower the region’s tax burden.
On Thursday, they got input from people throughout the community about what they believe matters most.
The future of Portland spending is coming down to the wire as the city prepares to spend billions of dollars across the board, including hiring at least 43 new officers for the Portland Police Bureau and spending millions to maintain trash clean-up and graffiti removal.
While participants opted out of in-person testimony Thursday and gave their input to the city council virtually, many brought up the impact of the cost of living and compensation in the budget. Mayor Ted Wheeler says part of the budget will focus on the homeless crisis and boosting shelters, but some say it’s also important to pay those involved in that work.
“Without more meaningful revenue increases to raise the compensation levels of the brave people who staff our shelters and homeless response programs, our system risks collapse. Most providers are seeing historic vacancies and barebones staff levels that risk underspending current contracts,” said Andy Miller with Our Just Future. “Before we open new shelters and new programs proposed in this budget, we need to take better care of the people doing the work today.”
A part of the budget also proposes a 6.6% water and sewer rate hike and a parking meter rate increase of around 20%. They were proposals that didn’t go over well with some community members.
“Many senior citizens on fixed incomes, including homeowners, live on half as much or less a year,” said Terry Parker, a longtime resident who brought up the increases in property taxes, rent and electricity rates. “Many of these seniors continue to be financially accountable by paying their bills, now the city is putting forward more blows.”
Before the public hearing Thursday, Mayor Wheeler met with regional leaders to see about freezing tax and rate hikes. In a statement, he said, “Portlanders are overburdened by collective increased taxes, utility rates and fees … Government leaders at all levels need to work together to ensure we protect our small businesses and workers and safeguard our economic future.”
Earlier this year, Wheeler told KOIN 6 News, “Multnomah County has the highest marginal tax rates in the United States of America but we don’t have the income to support that level of taxation.”
It’s still unclear if that would change the freeze proposal would change the budget and remove those water and parking rate increases. KOIN 6 reached out to the Mayor’s office about this but has not yet heard back.
One other major agency expected to be impacted by the budget is the Portland Bureau of Transporation, as the city proposes cutting around 18 positions.
The budget will be heard by the city council next week with a final vote expected by June 14. Amid the tax concerns, there’s also a vote on a new capital gains tax on Tuesday’s election.