Committee authorizes Portland lobbying push to raise general assistance reimbursement and to seek separate bill to cover shelter food costs

Portland’s Legislative and Nomination Committee on an authorization vote directed the city’s lobbying team to pursue LD 1732, a bill that would raise state reimbursement for municipal general assistance (GA) from the current 70% level toward 90%. The committee also authorized staff to draft and pursue a separate, narrower bill to allow state reimbursement for food provided at city shelters.

The measure known as LD 1732 was described by committee members as part of a multi-year effort to restore higher state support for GA. Committee members and staff said municipalities previously received higher reimbursement rates, that the rate fell during an earlier administration and was later restored to 70 percent, and that the city has repeatedly pressed the legislature to assume a larger share of GA costs. The committee voted to authorize the lobbying team to advance the city’s position on…