Resolve to Cut Multnomah Budget Feels the Heat

By Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.

May 29–When new Multnomah County Chairman Ted Wheeler called last month for $15.6 million in cuts to the county’s vast network of social, health and public safety programs to stabilize spending — even though he could have postponed the difficult decisions by using a temporary windfall of extra revenue — board members quickly rallied behind the cautious approach.

The overall reduction would stand, they pledged, even as they tinkered with specific cuts.

But in the weeks since, a familiar ritual began — campaigning to restore money to axed programs.

During private meetings and public hearings, requests have ranged from teary to indignant. Struggling parents begged commissioners to continue paying for school health clinics. Dozens of teachers, students and parents touted the popular Touchstone program, which connects families of schoolchildren to social services.

The district attorney and the sheriff used their clout as independent elected officials to make the case for keeping their programs fully staffed. And several city leaders protested when they learned the county would no longer pick up dead animals.

With the board set to vote Wednesday on amendments to the proposed budget — and slightly more than a week before a June 7 vote on the final draft — commissioners are busily negotiating.

Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey wants to restore school-based mental health; Commissioner Lonnie Roberts is fighting to restore cuts to the sheriff’s law enforcement operation; Commissioner Lisa Naito’s list includes maintaining funding for 114 cut jail beds and restoring all money to the district attorney’s office; and Commissioner Jeff Cogen, who worked most closely with Wheeler on the budget, appears to have cobbled together support to fund the school health clinics another year.

Board members have suggested tapping into $8.7 million that Wheeler has proposed for new technology and new programs — such as a $2 million “innovation fund” aimed at saving money in the long term, or the $10 million Wheeler has proposed tucking away for next year’s budget.

Members of the Portland City Council also have urged Wheeler to use this money rather than cutting city-based services.

Wheeler says the county faces large cuts this year because his predecessors repeatedly postponed difficult decisions.

Despite their different priorities, commissioners say they remain committed to maintaining an overall reduction, particularly after learning last week that next year’s financial situation could be significantly worse than expected and that lower-than-expected contributions from the state could force another $5 million in cuts.

Already planning to shave an additional $10 million in programs next year, commissioners were told in an hourlong budget briefing Wednesday that the figure probably will be significantly higher because of a slowdown in revenue growth. The county has already cut about $83 million in services during the past five years. (The total $1.2 billion budget, which pays for services including elections, courts, jails, public health and libraries, will grow slightly, though not enough to offset inflation and rising personnel costs.)

“I don’t know what we can really afford,” Rojo de Steffey said. “Whatever we add back, we’re going to cut again next year.”

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