LATEST NEWS

METRO STAFF PROPOSES TAX CUT: To help remediate homelessness, high-earning taxpayers in the tri-county area might be paying less each year, but for longer. That’s the upshot of recommendations by Marissa Madrigal, chief operating officer at the Metro regional government, to the Metro Council, the seven elected officials who oversee the supportive housing services tax passed in 2020. The 1% marginal tax, levied on any taxable income above $125,000 for individuals and $200,000 for couples, pays for shelter space, rent assistance, advocacy and mental health. Larger businesses also pay. Change is in the offing because the tax has raised more cash than expected and Multnomah County, for one, has been slow to spend it. As a result, Metro is sitting on more than $400 million. Madrigal’s recommendations: Cut the 1% tax rate and index the tax to inflation so that income above the thresholds isn’t taxed just because prices rise. Another recommendation: Keep the tax around longer. As approved by voters, the supportive housing services tax is set to expire in 2030. Madrigal recommends extending it so developers could bank on collecting rent assistance for longer, spurring construction of affordable housing. Madrigal also recommends that some portion of Metro’s dollars be used to build, buy and preserve housing, a departure from the original measure, which focused on services. Like all of Metro’s supportive housing services dollars, such money would be directed to Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties to come up with strategies for creating more “deeply affordable” housing, she said. Change could come in May, Madrigal says, when Metro should refer changes to voters.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Eight people in Oregon are now suspected to have died from be from heat-related causes connected to the record-breaking heat wave in July that saw multiple days of 100 degree temperatures or higher. Six of the deaths occurred in Multnomah County, one in Coos County and...

Metro is now forecasting this tax (the largest per capita tax program in the country) will bring in $360 million this year -- and they now want to expand spending beyond homeless services by updating the rules on how they can collect and spend the cash.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. (KPTV) - A suspected heat-related death has been reported in Washington County. The county says an 83-year-old man in the 97005 zip code died on Tuesday. No other details about his death have been released at this time. This is the seventh suspected heat-related death in Oregon...

Funding to address homelessness — one of the largest issues in the Portland region — may be on the ballot again next May. Metro, the regional government tasked with overseeing the supportive housing services tax, is considering a substantial change to the program: using surplus tax revenue to build more affordable housing. The change will need voter approval to go into place.

I’m excited to share there’s a new Bike Happy Hour happening on the west side! Friends from Beaverton want in on the fun and they’ve planned an inaugural gathering for Monday, July 15th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at BG Food Cartel. “Hang out and have a...

A bicyclist who was critically injured near the Hawthorne Bridge was rushed to hospital for treatment by a Portland Fire & Rescue crew because the nearest AMR ambulance was 20 minutes away in Washington County.

Multnomah County's cooling centers have expanded the days they're open as the prolonged heat wave hitting the region continues on Monday and as county officials announce three suspected heat-related deaths.

After more than two years of counties slowly ramping up homeless spending, Metro Council will consider a proposal to expand the uses of Supportive Housing Services dollars. Metro staff, led by Chief Operating Officer Marissa Madrigal, are recommending that the Metro Council ask voters to approve a ballot measure that would expand the uses of the tax revenue to include building or purchasing low-income housing; extend the lifetime of the tax; reduce the tax rate; and strengthen oversight and accountability. ...

To help remediate homelessness, high-earning taxpayers in the tri-county area might be paying less each year, but for longer. That’s the upshot of recommendations by Marissa Madrigal, chief operating officer at the Metro regional government, to the Metro Council, the seven elected officials who oversee the supportive housing services tax passed in 2020. The 1% marginal tax, levied on any taxable income above $125,000 for individuals and $200,000 for couples, pays for shelter space, rent assistance, advocacy and mental health. Larger businesses also pay.

Whether it’s onboard the Zipper, the Zillerator Coaster or the Viper, thrillseekers are sure to find something at the Washington County Fair. The Washington County Fair will be held from July 19-28, and is welcoming Butler Amusements and their 29 carnival rides back to the midway this year. The daredevils among us can get their adrenaline rush on Butler’s newest and most popular ride, the Khaos, rated five out of...

New rules to help rural counties mean the Portland region will receive an estimated $13 million a year in recovery services less than what its population calls for, showing challenges in funding for recovery services. July 9, 2024. The state will provide Oregon’s three largest counties with an estimated $55...