PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In a unanimous vote, the Portland City Council approved a budget for the next fiscal year that deals with an expected $75 million gap due to the pandemic.
The $5.6 billion budget was approved after several amendments were adopted. City officials said the budget prioritizes climate action, homelessness, small businesses, safety net services and community parks.
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Over the next few months the city bureaus will try to identify the best ways to close the remaining pandemic budget gap and balance the budget. That will likely happen after the Budget Monitoring progress in the fall, officials said.
In a statement, Mayor Ted Wheeler noted this budget was unlike any other.
“The City faced a significant budget gap because of COVID-19, but we were able to close the majority of that gap because of smart financial leadership over the last few years,” Wheeler said.
This council-approved budget will have a first reading on June 10 and then a final vote on June 17.
