PORTLAND, Ore. — On Wednesday night, the city of Portland hosted its first of three public listening sessions regarding the upcoming budget, drawing many people to the hybrid meeting.
"We appreciate it," said Mayor Ted Wheeler to participants and listeners. "I look forward to hearing your perspective on how we can best address some of the issues deeply affecting our city."
Wheeler emphasized that funds this time around would be limited due to several factors, from one-time funding sources drying up or ending, to the cost of transitioning, to a new form of government.
Most of the speakers voiced support for Portland Street Response (PSR), and asked the city to fully fund, strengthen and expand the program. A proposed $3 million cut to the mobile mental health crisis was revealed earlier this year, as bureaus across Portland considered reductions.
"Let the Portland Police Bureau focus on their mission of public safety, and Portland Street Response on helping people who are in crisis," said one speaker.
"At minimum, PSR needs to have a budget that can help maintain service levels that allow for 24/7 service," said another.
Portland Street Response is housed within the Portland Fire & Rescue Bureau, which reported an $11 million deficit.
"As firefighters, we want to see the Street Response continue, but so does the community. So does the mayor and so does (city) council," said Isaac McLennan, president of the Portland Fire Fighters' Association. "I don't think anybody's looking to make reductions to Portland Street Response."
What the union leader said he does fear, however, are possible cuts to firefighters or to fire stations.
"The simple version is less firefighters equals less safe," he said. "If you remove the number of firefighters in the city, you were just simply making it hard for us to keep people safe. We want to be able to respond to every neighborhood in the city, and when we reduce the number of firefighters or when we close an engine or truck, that just means that we cannot make it to those calls in the same amount of time."
Wheeler has not released his proposed budget yet. According to his office, that will happen in late April.
There will be two more listening sessions, with the next one on Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. More information about the listening sessions and how to submit testimony is available online.