Multnomah County leaders begin reviewing 2015-16 budget priorities

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Multnomah County Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury and Commissioners Loretta Smith and Judy Shiprack listen to county staff before voting to approve the west end of the Hawthorne Bridge as the site for a $250 million courthouse. Funding for the new courthouse will be discussed as county leaders head into budget season. Commissioners are expected to adopt the 2015-16 budget in June.

(Beth Nakamura)

Taxpayer money to help the homeless, build a Multnomah County courthouse and expand services for people with mental health problems will be among priorities for county leaders in coming months.

Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury on May 7 plans to release her first budget proposal as the county's top executive.

Officials then plan to hold a series of public hearings to discuss budget proposals from county departments and commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners is set to adopt a budget June 18. Last year, commissioners approved a $1.6 billion budget that included a $481 million general fund for the fiscal year that started June 1.

The budget pays for more than 4,500 full-time employees and programs including social and health cares services, law enforcement, library services, animal control and public construction projects.

Commissioners were told last month that the county will see a $9.1 million increase in annual revenue for the next five years and a one-time increase of roughly $45.2 million in the 2015-16 year.

Taxpayers can dig through hundreds of budget requests and proposals from the dozens of departments now under review by Kafoury and her staff.

Here are summaries of priorities Kafoury and Commissioners Jules Bailey, Loretta Smith, Judy Shiprack and Diane McKeel have spelled out in their proposals.

Kafoury wants to:

* Expand health care services targeted at minority communities to reduce inequities outlined in a December report. The report shows that people of color, especially African Americans, face inequities across 33 measures including economic status, education, literacy, environmental factors and access to healthy food.

* Match existing county programs and "new resources" to help the region's homeless populations identified in a regional program.

* Expand mental health services in "culturally specific" schools and programs aimed at preventing youth violence.

* Continue work to build a new central courthouse, health department headquarters and other infrastructure.

Bailey wants to:

* Support programs that rehouse homeless families and individuals, and increase options for mental health crisis services.

* Focus capital spending on bridge and infrastructure safety.

* Address racial and gender inequities.

* Continue working to finish major construction projects, including the central courthouse and Sellwood Bridge.

Smith wants to:

* Protect vulnerable community members seeking health care, mental health services and help with homelessness.

* Focus on emergency management and disaster preparedness.

* Continue the SummerWorks Program that places youths in summertime jobs aimed at motivating them to pursue higher education.

Shiprack wants to:

* Continue Local Public Safety Coordinating Council programs, including efforts to reduce racial inequities in juvenile justice and identifying gaps for mental health services in the public safety system.

* Promote programs that help the state's senior population.

* Support arts in schools.

McKeel wants to:

* Continue work to help military veterans as the county adapts to changing demographic.

* Develop policy and programs aimed at reducing human trafficking and the demand for prostitution.

* Monitor planning for land use and work to get public ideas for preserving natural areas and improving community relations.

-- Tony Hernandez
thernandez@oregonian.com
503-294-5928
@tonyhreports

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