One week after Portland's City Council adopted a budget that eliminates roughly 140 city positions, two competing proposals aim to restore millions in public safety funding.

The dueling ordinances, introduced within days of each other, each seek to reverse cuts to Portland Fire & Rescue teams, the Police Bureau's unarmed Public Safety Support Specialist (PS3) program, and parks operations. They differ on how to pay for it and whether to fund police training.

Councilors Angelita Morillo, Sameer Kanal, Candace Avalos, Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Mitch Green announced their ordinance on June 18 — the same day the council passed the $8.5 billion all-funds budget. Their $12.7 million package would preserve 48 city jobs and restore fire vehicle hours, PS3 program funding, and parks maintenance, according to Willamette Week reporting.

The funding source: $7 million in projected interest earnings from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (the voter-approved climate tax) and $5.6 million from other contingency funds. The proposal does not include money for police training.

The plan is a slimmed-down version of the "Services First" amendment the same councilors introduced with labor union representatives on Wednesday, June 3, which failed during the budget process.

Councilors Olivia Clark, Steve Novick, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, and Loretta Smith introduced their ordinance on Wednesday, June 24. Their plan draws just under $10 million from the general fund contingency and $2.25 million from other funds to preserve 30 positions, restore PS3 program peak-hours coverage, and keep Fire & Rescue teams operating.

A key difference: the moderate plan includes $3 million for police training and professional development, which the Peacock proposal omits. It would also extend pay for laid-off employees through September 1 and benefits through Tuesday, September 30, and return $1.75 million to the Business License Tax Reserve Fund.

The four sponsors said in a joint statement that the plan was "built in close partnership with labor leaders" and would replenish the contingency through anticipated underspending in the Office of Community Police Accountability, which has a $16 million FY 2026-27 budget and is still ramping up operations after voters created it in 2020. They stressed the plan "will not delay, defund, or interfere with the OCPA in any way."

That funding mechanism is politically charged. During the budget process, the Peacock caucus blocked multiple proposals to tap OCPA funds, arguing voters approved the full accountability office and its budget should remain intact.

The council split 6-6 on every attempt to save jobs during the June 17-18 budget deliberations. The Portland Metro Chamber said after those votes that it was "deeply disappointed" that Clark's earlier public safety amendment failed on a tie vote.

Neither ordinance has been scheduled for a vote. The council's next regular meeting falls on Wednesday, July 2; the agenda will be published by Friday, June 27 at portland.gov/council/agenda.

The adopted budget cut $21 million from the Police Bureau, $4.1 million from Fire & Rescue, and $11.4 million from Parks. All 31 fire stations, 157 parks, and 11 community centers remain open, but reduced staffing means fewer operating hours and service reductions.

Of the 140 eliminated positions, about 100 are filled by current employees who face layoffs starting August 3. Both proposals would delay or reduce those cuts.

Residents can track both ordinances and submit testimony through the City Council agenda page at portland.gov/council/agenda.