Officials are contacting county employees who may lose their jobs as Multnomah County gets ready for anticipated budget cuts.
On Friday, department heads turned in proposed budgets that included the 8%, 10%, and 12% budget cutbacks that Chair Jessica Vega Pederson had asked for in December. The county budget, which was $4 billion for the current fiscal year 2024–2025, won’t be approved until at least June.
However, staffers and spokesperson Julie Sullivan-Springhetti told The Oregonian/OregonLive that county employees are already being informed about possible layoffs.
According to Sullivan-Springhetti’s email, Multnomah County is going through one of the most difficult budget years in a decade. Throughout this process, the county is dedicated to providing managers and staff with as much information and assistance as possible during this difficult budget.
Managers will notify staff members who may be laid off after the budget is finalized during the course of the following week. Although it is unknown how this would affect the county’s 6,000 employees, authorities say the government is currently experiencing a $21 million deficit in its general budget, which is the largest pool of discretionary funds available to the county. The county jails, health clinics, and other essential services are funded by that fund, which is anticipated to reach $753 million in the upcoming fiscal year.
Officials are also negotiating the expiration of government money from the COVID-19 era and an unsettled federal environment.
According to Sullivan-Springhetti, workers will be informed at every step of the budget process if layoffs potentially affect them. Layoffees will remain employed for the duration of the current fiscal year. July 1 marks the start of the following fiscal year.
The proposed department budgets will be used by Vega Pederson and her office to create a proposed fiscal plan that will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for approval. Officials will contact staff members who may be affected once again when the chair’s budget is announced on April 24.
Layoffs will be publicized and implemented in July following the board’s adoption of the final budget in June.
The county’s main employee union, AFSCME Local 88, stated on its website that layoffs are not certain until the final budget is passed and that the budget process is flexible.
According to Sullivan-Springhetti, the county’s labor relations division and human resources department will work with any laid-off workers to place them in available positions or look into other opportunities within the county.
Austin De Dios reports on programs, politics, and other topics in Multnomah County. You can reach him at @AustinDeDios, [email protected], or 503-319-9744.
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