Fire Station Engine 22, North Precinct staff positions tentatively saved
The Portland City Council tentatively approved a budget that restored funding for the fire engine at Portland Fire & Rescue’s Station 22 in St. Johns in a May 20 vote. Funding for Portland Police Bureau support staff was also tentatively restored, including staff positions at North Precinct.
Small changes could still be made to the $8.5 billion budget before the final vote on June 17. As tentatively approved, it eliminated a $160 million shortfall and will take effect on July 1.
“Portland confronted one of the most challenging budget deficits in our history this week. My proposed budget sought every efficiency, prioritized workers and programs, reviewed all accounts and tapped reserve funds where possible,” Mayor Keith Wilson said after the budget votes. I’m grateful that the vast majority of my proposal remains intact. In reviewing the budget, councilors were forced to make far more difficult decisions than our city government has faced in many years,” he said.
District 2 Councilor Sameer Kanal proposed the amendment that preserved the fire engine in Station 22, that covers the greater St. Johns area and Linnton, by drawing $2.5 million from a newly created Business License Tax Reserve Fund. The vote was 7-4, with District 2 Councilor Dan Ryan voting no. District 2 Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney an Engine 22 supporter, was absent. Four other amendments were proposed to restore Engine 22 funding with other funding sources.
Ryan supported three of other funding amendments, however opposed the measure that dipped into the business license reserves. “Using them risks costing ourselves more $ in the future, if the city’s credit rating drops,” he said in a Facebook post. He had recommended using some funds, currently not being used, in the Office of Police Accountability, to fully restore Engine 22.
“North Portlanders deserve the same investment and access to critical emergency infrastructure that other parts of the city receive. I’ll always fight against cuts that disproportionately target St. Johns and other District 2 communities,” Kanal said after the vote.
Pirtle-Guiney proposed successful amendments to restore $15,000 in after-school programming at community centers on in-service day closures by adding personnel costs and restore $100,000 to Prosper Portland’s Workforce Development Program by drawing unspent funds from her office.
Pirtle-Guiney also proposed an amendment to spend $5 million to help restore the closed Columbia Pool in North Portland, although no other councilor supported it. A city-commissioned Columbia Pool assessment study is scheduled to be released to the public by late June.
The council also failed to pass an amendment to moved control over the homeless shelter spending from Wilson’s office to its controls. That seems to mean the city will soon close two existing Safe Rest Villages and move their sleeping pods to the North Portland Road Safe Rest Village, increasing its capacity from 212 to 275 homeless people.
Pirtle-Guiney previously expressed worry over that proposal by the city’s homeless services department, but the council majority was not willing to take control over shelter spending.
County commissioners were scheduled to finalize their next budget on June 4. County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson’s proposed budget includes $94 million in cuts. Homeless services will take some of the biggest reductions because the one-time monies used to open hundreds of new shelter beds in recent years have dried up.
Singleton proposes closing St. Johns homeless drop-in center
District 2 Commissioner Shannon Singleton proposed closing the St. Johns homeless drop-in center after Vega Pederson recommended keeping it open. Nearby business owners and residents have long complained that it attracts homeless people who hang around outside into evening hours, with some doing drugs and damaging properties.
State law requires that city and county budgets be balanced when they are approved. Portland and Multnomah County have shortfalls because of declining property tax collections, business license fees, prior emergency funding, and other revenue sources.
Community members and public employee unions pushed back against the proposed cuts, especially about reductions that threatened public safety services.
Many proposed amendments failed when the 12-member city council tied 6-to-6 on them. The council is evenly split between self-declared progressives and more moderate members. The mayor can vote to break ties on ordinances, but not on amendments to them.
Council President Jamie Dunphy, a progressive who represents District 1, was seemed satisfied, however.
“Today was long and contentious, but I’m grateful for my colleagues who show up every day, committed to make Portland better. Onward to the next phase,” Dunphy said after the final vote.
The most up-to-date news about the city budget, including the amendments approved by the council, can be found at portland.gov/hello/news.
More information on the Portland budget process can be found at portland.gov/budget/2026-2027-budget.
More information on the Multnomah County budget process can be found at multco.us/info/fy-2027-budget.