Councilor Koyama Lane’s Budget Amendments Preserve Critical Positions that Center Vulnerable Communities and Protect Our Tree Canopy

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Portland, OR - Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane is proposing seven budget amendments for FY2026-2027 that prioritize civil and human rights, protect our tree canopy, support seniors and our most vulnerable community members, and honor our historic obligations to tribes.

Age-Friendly Portland

Councilor Koyama Lane has two amendments that build toward an age-friendly Portland. One adds an administrator to coordinate age-friendly programming. This restores a previously funded position and program to execute a citywide age-friendly Portland agenda, including the implementation of the Age and Disability-Inclusive Neighborhoods (ADIN) program. Also, in response to significant and meaningful advocacy from the community, she wants to save funding for public parks personal trainers. Cutting personal trainers cuts off access to life-saving support.

"Maintaining our staff of personal trainers is an issue around justice for many of our vulnerable neighbors who are denied access to other supports, such as older residents, folks on a limited income, people with disabilities, and people navigating injuries, illness, and mental health issues," said Koyama Lane. "Things are tough right now for so many of us - around the world and right here in our city. Keeping personal trainers is an easy way to preserve a program that serves so many."

Protecting Our Tree Canopy

The Councilor is also committed to protecting our tree canopy and restoring Urban Forest positions through an amendment that preserves jobs that protect our trees. Cuts have brought tree permitting staff from 37 positions to 12 in just one year, which risks causing more unpermitted tree removals, canopy loss, development bottlenecks, and a failure to meet legal mandates. This amendment would restore 14 of these positions.

Rebuilding the Montavilla Park Picnic Shelter

In 2021, the Montavilla Park picnic shelter was demolished and pre-construction and permitting for a new shelter were started. The project was halted due to budget shortfall and has been on hold since that time. As a result, there isn't any shelter for community activities at Montavilla Park. Included in her amendment package are funds to rebuild this shelter.

Equity, Human Rights & Accountability

Consistent with Councilor Koyama Lane's other legislative work, she has put forward amendments to invest resources to fight for equity and human rights in addition to accountability. One amendment restores staff to the Office of Equity to increase capacity and service level in response to civil rights attacks from the Federal administration, and it pauses cost-neutral positional realignments as part of the Equity core services realignment until the newly-hired Chief Equity Officer position can review them. Another amendment reverses position reductions in the Auditor's Office.

"Overall, these amendments preserve equity training, civil rights enforcement, and auditor capacity to protect fairness, accessibility, and accountability," Councilor Koyama Lane said. "Reinstating these positions is one way we can uphold the City's commitments and maintain public trust."

Honoring Tribal Obligations

To help the City engage meaningfully with Tribal Nations, her final amendment provides a one-time funding allocation to the Office of Government Relations' Tribal Relations Program to help ensure the FY26-27 Tribal Summit Convening is adequately resourced. The Councilor believes it is critical for the City to uphold our responsibilities while demonstrating the City's commitment to honoring historic obligations. This funding demonstrates that the City values our relationships and wants to advance shared priorities with our tribal partners.

Public testimony will be heard Monday, 5/18 from 10am-2pm. The councilor encourages Portlanders to show up in person or submit written testimony: portland.gov/council-clerk/testimony-registration

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