Finance committee reviews spring technical adjustment, set-aside for police overtime

Portland’s Finance Committee on March 24 received a briefing on the city’s spring technical adjustment ordinance — the supplemental budget process that moves one‑time amounts across fiscal years and recognizes revenues for fiscal 2024–25.

Ruth Levine, director of the City Budget Office, told the committee the ordinance the council will see next week is “for learning and information” now and that the immediate action expected is a de‑appropriation for the current year that will be counted as beginning fund balance in 2025–26. “Anything we don't spend this year is something we can use next year,” Levine said.

The discussion matters because the technical adjustment (sometimes called the spring bump) captures: bureau carryovers for multi‑year projects; technical adjustments that reclassify or move money between funds; newly recognized grant and other revenue; and contingency resources. Levine said the package submitted to the committee separates general fund carryovers (resources previously appropriated by council for a specific purpose that will be spent next year) from general fund returns…