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 (she/they) councilor.morillo@portlandoregon.gov
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I want to share what we’ve accomplished during budget week and talk about the challenges ahead. I promised to fight for a budget that reflects our values and keeps Portlanders safe. Here’s a quick look at what happened, what I focused on, and what it means for us.
My Community Health & Safety Package
We have funded programs that help keep our community safe. The City Council passed our Morillo 1 amendment, which brings back important community programs with $2.5 million in funding.
This funding will support:
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Project Ceasefire and the Office of Violence Prevention
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CHAT (Community Health Assess and Treat)
Protecting Portlanders’ Privacy Rights
The City Council unanimously approved our Novick-Morillo 1 Amendment, which allocates $800,000 to complete the setup of the City Data and Privacy Office. This office will help manage data, protect privacy, and improve cybersecurity across Portland.
The funding will support citywide leadership in:
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Data governance and privacy protections
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Cybersecurity coordination across bureaus
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Responsible management of sensitive public information
I’m proud of what we’ve done to help protect Portlanders and keep our city moving forward.
Urban Alchemy Oversight Amendment Failed
An amendment was proposed to protect our unhoused neighbors by withholding funds from Urban Alchemy until an investigation could examine ongoing allegations against Portland’s largest shelter provider. I voted yes because it would have required stronger oversight before giving more funding to Urban Alchemy. This amendment would have held back some of the remaining funds and required another council review, adding an important accountability step. But the City Council did not pass it.
Since the amendment did not pass:
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Urban Alchemy will receive funding without the extra Council review that the amendment would have required.
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Serious concerns about contractor oversight, the safety of people seeking help, and public transparency remain unaddressed. The proposed funding restrictions were meant to make sure there was stronger oversight, an opportunity to investigate and address reports of assault and abuse.
I will keep standing up for our unhoused neighbors and everyone looking for shelter, and I’ll keep pushing for transparency and accountability.
Office Budget Misinformation
Some Councilors have asked if we should protect Council office budgets or make more cuts. We know that this is a tough budget year. But I'm committed to making decisions that invest in our long-term capacity, not shortsighted symbolic gestures.
Cutting Council office budgets now would make it harder for the public to take part in the legislative branch and the new government structure. I support keeping office budgets steady because the charter reform that voters approved requires the Council to provide real oversight.
There’s another reason why cutting Council office budgets doesn’t automatically save money, and it has to to do with the funding source.
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Council office budgets are funded through the City’s General Fund Overhead Model.
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Council offices receive funding from a shared pool that covers services used across the City.
- Right now, about 43% of the funding comes from the General Fund, and 57% comes from other restricted funds. This matters because only the General Fund portion can be easily used for other needs. So, 43 cents of every dollar can be used, but 57 cents can’t, even though it’s still cut.
Councilor Novick says Portland City Council office budgets are a lot higher than similar cities, like Seattle. But his analysis of how Portland compares to other cities leaves out central staff.
Seattle, for example, runs a large Council central staff that does policy and budget analysis for every member -- things like legal research and numbers crunching. Portland deliberately chose the opposite: a staff-heavy individual-office model. That means higher office budgets and a smaller central operation.
We don't have attorneys, economists, or central policy analysts the way other Councils do. Offices also carry heavy, uneven communications workloads with essentially no central support -- for example, our office receives hundreds of constituent emails per week, and I'm committed to making sure those Portlanders are heard. This requires staff resources.
I’ll keep supporting our communities with all the resources we have and make sure your voices are heard at City Hall.
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Constituent Coffee
I’m so excited to share with you that our June Constituent Coffee will be held at the beloved ASL coffee shop, The Woodstock Café.
The Woodstock Café is so special, and I am thankful that we have such a critical resource for the Deaf community in our district. Owned and operated by Deaf Portlanders, Woodstock Café has become a hub for the Deaf community in Portland, a space for ASL learners to practice in immersion, and a neighborhood coffee shop that serves great bevvies and tasty bites.
I’m proud to host our June event at The Woodstock Café because for too long, Deaf Portlanders haven’t had the access to City Hall that they deserve. So I’m bringing City Hall to the Deaf community. Because space is limited, we will prioritize seating for those who are Deaf, hard of hearing, an ally in the Deaf community, or ASL learners.
Please feel free to share this event with Deaf Portlanders in your life! I’m hoping for a great turnout and can’t wait to hear from the community.
Celebrating Juneteenth
Join me and thousands of your neighbors at this year's Juneteenth parade and festival, happening this Saturday at 11:00 in NE Portland.
In Portland, Juneteenth is honored with The Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade down Martin Luther King Blvd, a public festival at Lillis-Albina Park on N. Russell and N. Flint, and a festival to follow. The festival will feature guest speakers, stage performers, live music, vendors, exhibits, and children’s activities. I really hope to see you there!
Click here to learn more.
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As summer heats up, Portland is buzzing with activity. But don't worry, I've got you covered. I'm excited to share with you my June Guide to District 3 -- packed with info about community events, resources, and updates about my work in D3.
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Thanks for engaging with this work -- I'm so grateful to my constituents who always show up with thoughtfulness and care.
Please reach out any time by emailing councilor.morillo@portlandoregon.gov.
I hope to see you soon!
In solidarity,
 Councilor Angelita Morillo
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The City of Portland ensures meaningful access and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, call 311 for Relay Service or TTY: 711.
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