Multnomah County, OR. — The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on June 5 to adopt a $4 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget that closes major funding gaps through reductions while restoring select services via dozens of amendments. The process was guided in part by the county’s official FY 2027 Budget Equity Tool, which mandates that departments apply a detailed racial equity lens to program design, data, narratives, and performance measures.
The Office of Diversity and Equity document states that “systemic and institutional inequities are the result of intentional choices and practices” and frames the budget as a tool to close “pervasive and persistent disparities.” It builds on the Board’s 2021 declaration of racism as a public health crisis and requires Equity Managers’ involvement in budget development for all departments.
Three Required Focus Areas Embed Racial Metrics…