Give Testimony to Restore Fire Engine, Rescue Teams, Housing and Hygiene

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Today, I'm introducing a set of amendments that preserve key public safety personnel, advance pathways to housing, and invest in hygiene and workforce development.

Now, we need your help to get these amendments over the finish line. We'll be dedicating all day Monday, May 18th to public testimony- it will be the final chance to give it this budget season.

We hope you will weigh in by giving written and/or verbal testimony (online or in person) by Monday, May 18 (see sample testimony below).

Portland Fire and Rescue First, Green 1

This would restore Fire Station 22's fire engine and on-duty firefighters and Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescue Units by trimming managerial bloat across City bureaus. This delivers on years of demands from organized labor to stop the replacement of workers who deliver services with excess layers of highly paid administration.

Submit testimony

"Please vote yes on Councilor Green 1, Portland Fire and Rescue First, to restore Fire Station 22's fire engine and on-duty firefighters and Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescue Units by trimming managerial bloat across City bureaus. Green 1 doesn't jeopardize other forms of public safety. This amendment protects Portlanders and the people who protect us."

Register for testimony or submit written testimony

Proven Pathways to Housing, Green 2

Redirects $3 million from the current dysfunctional shelter budget to support and expand democratically governed micro-villages - compact communities where residents participate in leadership and decision-making. Villages that incorporate democratic decision making consistently deliver better housing outcomes, higher resident satisfaction, and better relationships with surrounding neighborhoods.

Proven Pathways to Housing would fund the current shelter model for only three more months, placing the remainder of the city's shelter budget into a set-aside fund to map a direct route to a more humane, evidence-based model.

Submit testimony

"Please pass Councilor Green 2 and 3, Care Package, to invest in public bathrooms, laundry service, litter collection, workforce development, and dignified cost-effective pathways to housing. These evidence-based pathways care for both Portlanders and public spaces. It's time for the current harmful shelter model to end, and this is a safe and sensible transition to get us there."

Register for testimony or submit written testimony

Sanitation, Hygiene, and Workforce Development, Green 3

Redirects $1 million from the city's encampment sweeps budget into investments in programs that provide basic hygiene, public sanitation, and workforce development programs. These include public toilets, free laundry services, and low-barrier job opportunities that meet people where they are. We can address basic sanitation, and we can do it in a way that respects our shared humanity.

Submit testimony

"Please pass Councilor Green 2 and 3, Care Package, to invest in public bathrooms, laundry service, litter collection, workforce development, and dignified cost-effective pathways to housing. These evidence-based pathways care for both Portlanders and public spaces. It's time for the current harmful shelter model to end, and this is a safe and sensible transition to get us there."

Register for testimony or submit written testimony

Core-Services Realignment Pause, Morillo-Green-Novick 1

Support the Core Services Realignment Pause, a decision package that gives a one-year pause on eliminating 46 frontline FTE positions which was proposed in the mayor's budget. This amendment would use $3.25M of the Business License Tax operating reserve to fund the pause, while committing to a worker-centered review process.

Submit Testimony

"Do not cut front-line workers. Please vote yes Morillo-Green-Novick 1, which will put a pause on eliminating 46 front-line positions. Protect the people who keep our community running and invest in the services residents rely on every day."

Register for testimony or submit written testimony