Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
Local Government
Portland Medicare Advantage members lose Providence, OHSU network access
More than 23,000 Multnomah County Medicare Advantage enrollees must find new coverage as Providence Health Plan shuts down, OHSU exits Regence networks and other insurers pull back before a Dec. 7 enrollment deadline.
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Local Government
View MorePolice-hiring ballot measure officially fails, backers vow lawsuit
Portland's Elections Division officially ruled that the police-hiring ballot measure fell 6,307 signatures short of qualifying for the November ballot, with only 61% of submitted signatures valid; backers immediately pledged to sue.
Local Government
View MorePortland residents file first 2028 ballot measure to put liquor in grocery stores
Two Portland residents have filed the first 2028 ballot initiative to receive a draft title from the Oregon Attorney General, a measure that would let grocery stores sell distilled spirits and dismantle the state's liquor monopoly.
Local Government
View MoreN/NE Portland housing strategy shifts to new funding districts as Interstate Corridor TIF winds down
The Portland Housing Bureau's $135 million N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy is transitioning to new TIF districts including Cully as the Interstate Corridor funding approaches expiration, while the Portland Housing Center rebrands as "Arrive!" after 35 years.
Local Government
View MoreFlavored tobacco bans head toward enforcement in Portland-area counties
After the Oregon Supreme Court cleared the last legal challenge, Multnomah and Washington counties are planning fall retailer training sessions ahead of enforcing bans on flavored tobacco and nicotine products, while an industry trade group warns the restrictions could be existential for some shops.
Local Government
View MorePortland council faces $120 million Moda Center vote with no identified funding source
Portland City Council faces a mid-August vote committing $120 million in public money to Moda Center renovations, but the funding source for the city's share has not been identified, according to an OPB report published July 13.
Local Government
View MorePCC board to vote on policy formalizing financial emergency powers
Portland Community College's board votes Thursday, July 16, on a new Financial Shortfall Declaration Policy that would authorize program cuts and staffing reductions during budget crises, while also swearing in student trustee Afia Mboup and electing 2026-27 leadership.
Local Government
View MoreKeller Auditorium backers drop $250 million rebuild, pitch modest upgrades instead
Keller Auditorium supporters have abandoned a $250 million rebuild plan in favor of a $10–15 million upgrade pitch as Portland City Council prepares to vote in August on a rival $332–449 million performing arts complex at Portland State University.
Local Government
View MorePortland's Airbnb fines, already 27 times higher than other cities, rise again Friday
Portland's cap on short-term rental fines for first-time violators rises 26% to $34,670 on Friday, July 10, even as the City Ombudsman's Office warns the penalties are 27 times higher than comparable cities and disproportionately harm vulnerable homeowners.
Local Government
View MoreTwo trade unions pull reelection endorsements from Portland Councilor Mitch Green
IBEW Local 48 and Ironworkers Local 49 rescinded their reelection endorsements of Portland District 4 Councilor Mitch Green on Monday, July 7, citing his hesitation to support the $600 million Moda Center renovation and the Bull Run water filtration plant, escalating political pressure ahead of the council's August 12 vote on the arena deal.
Local Government
View MoreMetro Council to pick District 4 replacement Thursday in Beaverton
Metro Council will interview candidates and vote Thursday, July 9, at Beaverton City Hall to fill the District 4 seat vacated when Juan Carlos González became Council President, giving Washington County residents a narrow window to testify before the appointment.
Local Government
View MoreNorth Portland disability-inclusive housing project locks in $1.4M, clears path to build
Cathedral Park Cohousing, a 23-unit disability-inclusive development in North Portland, secured $1.4 million in state Lottery Bond funds, closing its final funding gap and clearing the way for an early 2027 groundbreaking.
Local Government
View MoreMore than 1,100 Portland-area shelter beds set to close by year's end
Portland and Multnomah County budget cuts will eliminate more than 1,100 shelter beds by December 31, 2026, complicating Mayor Keith Wilson's stated goal of ending unsheltered homelessness as both governments face historic shortfalls.
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