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Politics In his first “State of the County” speech, Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen recently described his government’s financial woes.    More

News When Multnomah County commissioners wanted to raise vehicle registration fees last year to help pay for a new Sellwood Bridge, their plans were shut down by the city councils of Gresham, Troutdale and dinky Maywood Park. Their support was required under state law, and when county Chair Ted Wheeler failed to convince them to go along with the plan, the episode again raised questions about whether ...   More

News When the Legislature convenes for a special session next week, one of the bills with greatest potential local impact is Senate Bill 1042 [PDF]. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham), would allow individual counties to impose cigarette taxes. Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, the county's point person on the proposed tax, says the bill is a top legislative ...   More

News Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury praises Ted Wheeler for ending the dysfunction on the county board in 2007 after he took the chairman's job by beating Diane Linn. But Kafoury tells WW her colleague, Commissioner Jeff Cogen, will offer a new brand of leadership. As we reported today, Cogen has unanimous backing of the county commissioners to take over as county chairman early next ...   More

News The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners this morning unanimously approved a $392 million general-fund budget that gives District Attorney Mike Schrunk greater flexibility in setting priorities for his office. The dust-up over Schrunk's budget has been the big county story in a year when the county had to cut $5.4 million from its general-fund budget, the 10th straight year of cuts. County ...   More

News Like clockwork each year, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schrunk rides into battle against the county chair's office to fend off budget cuts in the DA's office. After 29 years in office and 10 straight years of shrinking county budgets, Schrunk is regarded as a quiet master at such fights. This year he's found allies in traditionally law-and-order-oriented East County with county Commissioner ...   More