Dunphy, Morillo and Novick Propose Increasing Retail Climate Tax to Plug City’s Budget Hole

Councilor Steve Novick, alongside Morillo and Dunphy, want to raise the climate tax on large retailers to fill the city's looming budget deficit.

Seeking to increase tax from 1% to 1.33%, bringing in, Novick says, an additional $66 million annually.
www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

City Council Committee Spars Over Policy Process: “I Feel This Committee Is Being Ramrodded”

Councilors spar over the city's new policy process.

“I feel this committee is being ramrodded”.

www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Filling the City Sidewalk Gap, Too Many PPS High Schools, and Nightmare Tree Codes - City Cast Portland Our restrictive city tree code might be causing more harm than good. Our school district might have too many public high...

@sophiegreenleaf.bsky.social breaks down her FANTASTIC reporting on #Portland's troubling tree code in today's City Cast Portland. As always, it's a must-listen when Sophie joins the show. portland.citycast.fm/podcasts/fil...

Portland Parks Are On This Year’s Budget Chopping Block

Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney says she believes the Parks Bureau could use one-time development fees to bring defunct parks assets back online.

The Parks Bureau says that's not the case, and that they're bound by state law.

🤨
www.wweek.com/news/2025/03...

Rigid Enforcement of the City’s Tree Code Is a Nightmare for Portlanders Title 11 has empowered a city program to police the trimming, pruning and planting of trees as if they were illicit activities.

A little late in sharing this, but here's my most recent cover story on how the city of Portland's Tree Code—and the city's forester—has become deeply controversial in recent years.
www.wweek.com/news/2025/03...

Joint Office Warns of Upcoming Budget Shortfall of $104 Million

Multnomah County: We have $104 million budget shortfall for homeless services.

Asking for $55 million from the state and $30 miliion from Metro to help close the gap.

Kotek is unhappy, says she only learned about this 24 hrs ago and needs "clear answers" from county.
www.wweek.com/news/county/...

A $7 Million Loan From Prosper Portland to an Athletic Wear Campus in Old Town Flouts the Agency’s Risk Guidelines

Prosper Portland flouted all its own risk guidelines when it approved a $7 million loan to an ambitious footwear manufacturing hub last week.

Project so far is almost entirely funded with public dollars.

Gov. Kotek is unhappy.

Lots more I can't fit into this.

www.wweek.com/news/2025/02...

Longtime East Portland community leader charged with defrauding neighborhood nonprofit A longtime East Portland community leader has been accused of defrauding a neighborhood nonprofit of more than $10,000.

Longtime East Portland community leader Arlene Kimura, 79, was indicted on 10 felony charges & 4 misdemeanors, ranging from aggravated theft to falsifying business records.

Councilor Green a white 40-something year old man in a gray suit seated at a table with his name plate in front

Ready for @pdxcityclub.bsky.social District 4 event with @sophiegreenleaf.bsky.social asking councilors the questions.

Two men and a woman sit at a long table behind name placards

Thanks to @sophiegreenleaf.bsky.social for moderating our discussion tonight @pdxcityclub.bsky.social

It’s great to be here alongside my colleagues @councilorgreen.bsky.social and @councilorclark.bsky.social

Portland Will Join Other Sanctuary Cities In Lawsuit Against Trump Administration

City of Portland will join other sanctuary cities in lawsuit against Trump's executive orders that threaten to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities.
www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

A botched city blueprint results in a minimum $30,000 repair to a just-completed Portland Parks and Recreation facility.

Not great for a bureau that has $600 million in deferred maintenance and wants to double an existing tax levy that helps fund parks operations.
www.wweek.com/news/2025/02...

Former City Council member Carmen Rubio is under consideration for a top role at Multnomah County. By Anthony Effinger. www.wweek.com/news/2025/01...

City’s Top Administrator Warns Bureaus of Likely Cuts Across Communications, Equity and Engagement Shops

City administrator Michael Jordan tells bureau directors that the city will be analyzing the communications, equity and engagement shops across the city, and eyeing cuts in each.
www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

AFSCME Holds Practice Picket at Portland Building as Contract Negotiations Near Precipice

AFSCME holds practice picket on Thursday evening as city-union negotiations reach precipice.

Meanwhile, two Portland city councilors are hatching a proposal to lower the temperature between AFSCME and the city. www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Elana Pirtle-Guiney Elected As Portland City Council President At New Body’s First Meeting

After 10 rounds of voting, Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney snagged the coveted council president position with a 7-5 vote, beating out Councilor Candace Avalos.

The councilor to flip the vote: Mitch Green. He'd voted for Avalos in nine rounds, up until the tenth.
www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Incoming City Council Considers Amending Budget to Increase Council Staff

The incoming City Council is eyeing a budget amendment to increase the amount of staff each councilor can hire.

That desire—to increase councilors' office budgets—comes when the city is staring down a $27 million budget shortfall. www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Lots here for folks interested in local politics, including that Steve Novick’s one hired staffer worked for Sam Adams during his city council campaign & worked on the campaign to oppose charter reform

Here’s Who the Portland City Councilors-Elect Have Hired As Top Staffers

Here's who the 12 incoming city councilors-elect have hired as they prepare to enter office on Jan. 2.

Longtime City Hall staffers, union stalwarts, former legislative chiefs of staff and one East Portland man who went from being incarcerated to working for the state.
www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Oregon Health Authority Says It Will Make Rules to Disallow Associate Mental Health Clinicians From Billing Medicaid

As the state pledges to increase its mental health resources, the Oregon Health Authority next year plans to change its rules to disallow associate therapists from billing Medicaid.

Most of those therapists see primarily Medicaid patients.
www.wweek.com/news/state/2...

Clients of an Upstart Health Clinic Are Stranded at an Interstate Avenue Motel

A wild story by my colleague Lucas Manfield this morning in @willametteweek.bsky.social

www.wweek.com/news/2024/12...

Kaia Sand Resigns From Street Roots After Going on Leave

Last week, we reported that longtime Street Roots executive director Kaia Sand quietly went on leave in October.

On Friday, she resigned.

Sand and Street Roots have remained mum about what led to the separation.
www.wweek.com/news/2024/12...

Upcoming Change in CareOregon’s Reimbursement Policy Causes Uproar Among Mental Health Professionals

CareOregon quietly announced a huge reimbursement policy change in a Dec. 5 letter to Oregon therapists. Mental health professionals say it will rock the industry. www.wweek.com/news/health/...