Budget Process
This was my second time engaging in the budget process as a City Councilor. Though it wasn’t easy, particularly because of the compressed timeline, I am proud of how my team was able to move forward with our amendments. I am so happy to share that we had three major wins for District 3 and the City overall, based in direct response to what I heard from the community.
We saved critical positions for Urban Forestry, with my resolution passing with an 8-4 vote. A couple years ago we had 40 positions doing tree permitting and related work, which was cut to 26, and the mayor’s budget would have cut that down to 12! The consequences would’ve been more unapproved tree removals, canopy loss, permitting bottlenecks, and a failure to meet legal mandates. Our critically-important tree canopy has declined, and it takes decades to replace the shade, habitat, natural beauty, and other environmental benefits large trees provide. The time to act is now, and I’m so glad a majority of my fellow Councilors agreed.
We also saved a number of personal trainer positions at our public community centers. My amendment passed with a 9-3 vote. I want to thank the community for teaching me about how critical these people are to our most vulnerable neighbors, as they provide affordable, accessible health and wellness support to older residents, people with disabilities, low-income residents, and folks recovering from illness and injury. These are life-saving positions, and this is an issue of justice, access, and maintaining age-friendly services.
And, hooray, City Council approved my amendment to rebuild the Montavilla Park picnic shelter! Read more about that in this excellent article in the Montavilla News!
My team and I are particularly proud that my budget amendments are so closely connected with what we heard directly from District 3 constituents! In April, we rolled out a survey to hear from Portlander’s about their budget priorities. My three main amendments, plus my Transportation Utility Fee amendment that passed last month, align closely with the top 10 priorities of my constituents. Check it out!
 For this survey, we heard from every single neighborhood in our District, and the data is corroborated by countless in-person and digital community conversations I’ve had during my time in office. Thank you so much for your engagement and advocacy! Your voices matter, and I look forward to getting much more done for D3 and the City as a whole in the weeks and months to come.
As part of responding to your priorities in this budget season, I was also glad to support and help get passed essential funding for the Office of Violence Prevention and the Ceasefire program, the Community Health Assess and Treat (CHAT) and Portland Street Response programs, St. John’s Fire Engine, data privacy measures, arts grants, and improved access for hygiene and health programs for unhoused Portlanders.
We’re not quite done – the budget will now go to the Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission for legal review, and Council can make small changes to the approved budget after that (as long as changes don’t exceed 10% to any individual fund). We’ll have a vote to formally adopt the new budget in June.
 Oregon Walk Stars
Though much of the past week has been budget focused, I would be remiss to not congratulate Oregon Walks for the wonderful event they put on last Saturday! I was proud to be a sponsor of the Oregon Walk Stars event, which helps promote walking and advocates for safer traffic conditions for the community. Pictured celebrating with me are (from left) Lauren McCune, Krista Catwood (AKA Vera Mysteria), Joe Perez, Sarah Risser, and Steph Routh.
Rose City Park Neighborhood Association
Join me and my fellow District 3 City Councilors at the Rose City Park Neighborhood Association’s general meeting, Tuesday, May 26 at the German American Society, 5626 NE Alameda St! Starting with an open-to-all ice cream social at 6:30 p.m., the meeting will include announcements, the election of the new RCPNA Board, and a discussion with City Councilors at 7:55 p.m.
Portland Pickles, Rose Festival, and County Fair
In some signs of summer, the Portland Pickles collegiate baseball team will officially open their season on Friday, May 29 at Walker Stadium in Lents, off SE Holgate Blvd between 88th and 92nd Aves. They will be playing the Victoria HarborCats and gates open at 6 p.m. AND, the Portland Rose Festival City Fair on the waterfront starts today, and the Multnomah County Fair is happening at Oaks Park this weekend!
Parks Volunteer Days
Upcoming community clean-up and park-tending volunteer days for Portland Parks and Recreation, held from 9 a.m. to noon, include:
Happy Birthday Burnside Bridge
The Burnside Bridge is turning 100! Events to celebrate include a Breakfast on the Bridges pop-up breakfast at 7 a.m. Thursday, May 28, and a centennial birthday party from noon to 5:00 pm. Saturday, May 30.
Bike Summer Events
Bike Summer officially starts June 1! A full calendar of group rides can be found at Shift2Bikes.
Upcoming Events with Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC)
There are so many great events happening in the Central Eastside! Upcoming events include:
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Come Thru Market, an incubator market centering Black and Indigenous farmers and makers – 3 to 7 p.m. June 1 and all first and third Mondays, June through October, at 831 Southeast Salmon Street
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Tabor Dance, a weekly dance series with rotating locations, 6 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 3 at The Den, 116 Southeast Yamhill Street
- First Friday Art Walk in the Central Eastside, with studio tours of more than 45 local artists working in the Central Eastside at East Creative Collective and Art Design Xchange, 6 to 9 pm June 5
- Beach Brigade Volunteer Clean Up, Human Access Project clean up of Audrey McCall Beach – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 6 at Vera Katz Beach, 5 Southeast Madison Street
More information on these and many more CEIC events can be found at the Central Eastside Industrial Council's event page.
Your City Your Choice Survey
North Star Civic Foundation and the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center are conducting the third annual “Your City Your Choice” survey, a public opinion survey about how Portland residents feel about the city, livability, the economy, and current services. The results will be shared publicly, and you can take the 15-20 minute survey here.
Office of Small Business and Your D3 Liaison
I want to let you know about Portland’s Office of Small Business (OSB), which serves as the central point of entry for Portland’s small businesses. OSB works in cooperation with the community, Prosper Portland programs, and other local government agencies to create an equitable, supportive, and connected community. John Bebe is your District 3 liaison and you can schedule an appointment with him through OSB’s Get Help webpage.
Montavilla News story about the path to getting the Montavilla Shelter back on track for construction
Portland Mercury’s coverage of the second day of budget discussions, including my three passed amendments: “This is really gutting this program and undermining our ability to protect and expand Portland’s tree canopy,” Koyama Lane said. “At the very same moment where our body has made major climate commitments to our community, we’re seeing that these cuts have already been having real impacts.” Koyama Lane pointed out that “protecting our tree canopy is not just about planting new trees, it also is really about…preventing the loss of large mature trees that we already have.” “New trees are very important, but they really take decades to provide the same environmental benefits as existing canopy. Mature trees delivers way more shade,” Koyama Lane said. “The large trees [collect stormwater], store carbon, cool, and give neighborhood character way more than a newly-planted smaller tree.”
“We should listen to our city workers, and we should slow down,” Koyama Lane said. “Because our city workers are watching, and workers all across Portland are watching. Because our struggle is intertwined, and union members know that, and they’re really watching to see who are friends of labor right now.”
And Portland Mercury’s coverage of the first day of budget discussions: “This amendment demonstrates that we are listening to our workers who are asking for a more balanced approach to staffing,” Koyama Lane said.
Willamette Week, “Controversial Proposal to Reroute $10 Million From New Police Accountability Body Fails”: “I don’t quite see how this is a compromise,” said Councilor Tiffany Koama Lane. “You’ve heard from many people, and we’ve already voted and said that there’s a pretty hard line on touching the OCPA.”
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