The Portland City Council is set to approve a budget for the next fiscal year this week that is much less drastic than originally anticipated.
The Portland City Council is set to approve a budget for the next fiscal year this week that is much less drastic than originally anticipated.
Mayor Charlie Hales originally said the council would have to cut $21.5 million in general fund spending from the budget that takes effect on July 1, potentially slashing up to 170 jobs.
At the time, Hales warned that public safety agencies would not be protected from layoffs. His proposed budget eliminated the Portland Police Bureau’s popular Mounted Horse Patrol and reduced Portland Fire & Rescue staffing levels by swapping a number of large engines for smaller vehicles. It also closed Buckman Pool and the Sellwood Community Center, and eliminated the city’s share of funding for the mental health crisis center operated by Multnomah County.
But none of those cuts are in the budget the council will consider. In fact, it only cuts general fund spending by $16 million and potentially lays off up to 26 employees, none of whom work for the police bureau or Portland Fire & Rescue.
Read more at The Portland Tribune.
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