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Finance committee sends FY 2024–25 technical adjustment ordinance to full council
Summary
The Portland City Council Finance Committee voted April 1 to send an emergency technical adjustment ordinance for FY 2024–25 to the full council. The ordinance would draw down a $3.5 million policy set-aside into the Portland Police Bureau budget and roll contingency amounts into preparation for the FY 2025–26 budget.
The Portland City Council Finance Committee voted April 1 to forward an emergency technical adjustment ordinance for fiscal year 2024–25 to the full council for adoption.
The ordinance, moved in committee by Councillor Pertel Guinee and seconded by Councillor Novick, was approved on a 5–0 roll call and will be scheduled for full council consideration. Committee members said the measure will allow the city to make end-of-year budget adjustments and to prepare budget materials for the 2025–26 process.
The ordinance authorizes technical adjustments that staff said are needed to close out the current fiscal year. Ruth Levine, the city’s budget director, told the committee the action would draw down a policy set-aside that currently holds $3.5 million and place it in the Portland Police Bureau’s budget so the bureau may spend it in the current fiscal year.
"The intention is to draw down that line and put it into the police bureau’s budget so that they can spend it in the current fiscal year," Levine said.
Committee members asked for clarification about contingency balances. Anthony, the city’s supplemental budget coordinator, explained why the general fund contingency projection increases to roughly $36–37 million by fiscal year end: the city temporarily de-appropriates unspent revenue and carryover amounts into contingency as a placeholder until final actions are taken during the May budget process.
"At a technical level, we deappropriate those resources in the current year budget, and then we temporarily add them to contingency," Anthony said. "Much of that will show up as beginning fund balance in 25–26, depending on final close-out."
After discussion, the committee voted to refer the emergency ordinance to the full council with a recommendation that it be passed. The item was scheduled to be heard by the full council on April 2.
Committee members said they expect additional briefings and asked staff for greater clarity in future materials as the council continues to refine budget processes.
