www.wweek.com/news/2024/05/09/city-of-portlands-budget-director-abruptly-resigned-this-week/
City of Portland’s Budget Director has abruptly resigned, with no severance package and with no reason given. It comes as a surprise because the city is in the middle of its annual budget process.
NewsI heard that in Lt. Joe Kenda's voice.
I’d bet money he knows shits about to hit the fan regarding the budget and where all the money is going.
What?
Our beloved city does a perfect job of making sure money is spent in the way the voters want it to be spent.
How dare you say otherwise.
...............
It's a shame we're not going to end up having those flood levees upgraded thanks to this cities inept corrupt goverment eeh? There is a lot of money coming from the federal goverment for that one..
*sighs*
It’s definitely a shame the homeless have destroyed so much along the Slough and the city has continued to spend fixing things. It’s a shame the airport has no part in paying. It’s a shame we all feel our tax money is constantly wasted.
Secret payout to keep quite. Or get the suicide by ten bullets to head
This week has been really sunny. We could see the northern lights. He just woke up thinking, "Why the hell am I working when I'm in my 70s and should be at the river!?"
Given the extraordinary amount of corruption and incompetence Portland’s government has been going through this year, it looks super suspicious, to say the least, and he’s smart enough to be aware of this perception.
RIP🙏
Living my dream...
Either they just pulled a dick move or the sky is about to fall on Portlands government
It could be the middle ground where he knows Portland is continuing to suffer and won’t start improving anytime soon, so he just threw up his hands and quit in a dick move to the citizens of Portland. Also, it’s vacation season.
That is also a believable reason
a dick move to the citizens of Portland.
I mean, ya’ll keep voting for the dumbest people possible. So you kinda deserve it. It’s like you ignore every red flag just because they check the right dei box. It’s insane.
Um, we didn't vote for the budget manager.
Username checks out
I hate this take. Who’s the saviour we didn’t vote for? Seriously.
This post caused me to go down the rabbit hole. No surprise almost half the budget goes to dealing with homeless and affordable living. And between 2015-2022 homelessness went up 65%. Idk why this guy left, but half your tax money going to people not even from here just doing drugs and breaking into stuff is a bit much.
I've been hearing some rumors that even a lot of that money is not making it to the homeless. Heard anything about?
It's in the hands of executives at the non-profit Homeless Industrial Complex and conveniently laundered back to politicians in the form of campaign donations and junkets.
Proof? Open minded to your claim. Do you have proof, else this is a tired “us vs them” mantra.

There’s too many examples.
Will research thank you
I think it’s considered common practice at this point lmao
The fact a billion dollars has been spent and the problem has gotten worse. Also there’s been many corrupt/incompetent projects that millions get injected into, such as the $11 million fancy apartment complex that after a year was only housing 16 people. There’s many more examples of millions of dollars being unaccounted for.
Most of that billions is being spent at the county level, not the city. Most of the city funds are going to Rapid Response or the SRVs / TASS campsites and the county owns the contracts to run most of the SRVs since it's technically their job. They city should be spending far less if the county was spending their money properly (as you cited).
This is so obvious it’s almost painful. Just look at the budget numbers v. what actually happens, it’s all public knowledge.
When a million dollars goes to shelter 150 people, someone is taking the cream off the top.
This isn’t a specific example, because I have seen it over and over. Just look at the budget number for “services”.
This is a city that was (and no doubt is) paying a whole bunch of people at parks and rec over $100,000/year apiece, which we know because of the settlements a few years ago, and that’s a small part of the budget. The “homeless services” portion is an even bigger racket.
100k a year isn’t enough to be middle class in the City any more.
Tina Kotek and her girl dislike your comment
Most of it doesn't reach people in need.
Most of the "people in need" decline shelter and treatment options
Then we shouldn't be spending the money on them.
agreed
lmao
Fuckin bullshit. I have to clarify I totally agree with you I'm just saying that it's fucked up that it's happening that way. I agree there is a lot of corruption.
The problem is that we are not spending enough. We need to at least double current outlays, and increase gender and identify awareness so as to better target populations at risk. /s just in case, given this is Portland.
The /s is absolutely necessary. I was reading it and thinking, “oh boy, here we go again.”
Same! My eyes bulged until I saw /s
Jesus you really had me going there.
You mean the problem is the politicians aren't moving the money into their friend's and campaign contributors' pockets fast enough
Has never worked in govt. checks notes “Government needs more of our money and then it will finally work as intended”
But what about genocide…
No we don’t! Only 2 sexes M and F
It doesn’t seem like the money is actually getting to homeless or affordable housing. It’s a munch of companies that are supposed to be helping the homeless and providing affordable housing is the issue.
You think that money is making it to the homeless?
Who cares
Ah you guys down there have Vancouver syndrome… or maybe we have Portland syndrome, who even knows anymore.
Live in one, work in the other. Weekends are spent all over both lol
Wild that that’s your view of homeless people. It’s pretty pathetic.
I’m around them everyday and I have eyes. Idk what to tell you, I see dumb shit
You hanging out with drug addicts and criminals doesn’t mean those are characteristics of homeless people at large. lol Get it together.
Source: I made it up.
Dude, that’s a poll of Portlanders. How on earth did you confuse that with the City’s budget?
Why would affordable living not be people who were from here?
You say this, but honestly I don't believe you. Do you have any data you can show that goes into this?
Edit: Honestly the fucking losers downvoting me for questioning the fucking insane position the almost half the "budget" (Federal? State? City?) goes to homelessness is making me double down that this is an absolutely stupid claim. No, not half the city budget goes to homelessness you fucking stupid degens.
It’s a well documented issue. Though financial trends can be complex (see GME’s profitable 2024). Please learn more: https://youtu.be/PNxQ8JWxWMA?si=kQ4NDF6dqbVpHxfr
WTF, GME?
Then you post a youtube video (that doesn't have any sources btw) on Los Angeles budget. This doesn't support the claim that "almost half the budget" goes to homelessness and affordable living. Find actual sources my dude.
I’m glad you recognize numbers. Tell me when GME EBITA is sexy. I’ll hold the Mission’s breath.
It’s not a fun reality.
GME is a worthless company that will face bankruptcy in the next 10 years.
Considering a cash-to-debt ratio of over 2.0, please, enlighten me. While you’re at it, knock that growing EBITDA Kielbasa out of your face. Web. 3. FaScIsM.
Ouchey cash flow honey. Hope your boo boo thesis simmers down.
We'll form a committee to research the issue.
u should get mad and cry about downvotes. oh wait too late.
Glad you're here to provide less than subhuman contributions.
The only reason you throw up deuces and suddenly ghost your employer is if you know something really bad is about to happen.
Prison time !!!
Dude was 72...no fucking way I'd be working still. Probably had some medical issue come up.
This is the other option, but given in the last 6 months there has been a TON of uncovered corruption within Portland’s government… this looks suspicious at least. I’m sure he knows that too.
Honestly, I really hate online speculation like this.
You must be new to the internet.
Not new, just continually disappointed in how low the bar is.
We should NEVER question our leader’s motives, ever 🐑
Go ahead and question, but there is something really annoying about the "I WONDER WHY?!?" statements, backed up by pure speculation.
If it’s medical issues where is the severance?
LOL no severance from a government job if you quit due to health reasons. Just basic cash out of your banked paid leave balances.
Occam's razor? How dare you in a place like Reddit.
I think being 72 and dealing with the stress of today's budget climate here in Portland would be enough to make anyone want to resign.
Why I would love to have the city and county audited. This seems like somebody doing something funny with the money
Local governments are required to have annual audits by independent auditors. I don't know if there have been audit findings (aka issues) with Portland, but there should be an ACFR (annual comprehensive financial report) aka audit posted on their webpage.
"No reason" given because we value transparency in our liberal city. Just like JVP said she'd do her own audits on the success of her programs.
Or 72 and has an issue..always assuming the worst.
It's the same reason everyone is getting out. Oregon has been making millions just from marijuana sales tax that nobody pays attention to or asks where it goes. Budget director found something wrong and probably wanted nothing to do with it. Not saying that was what happened but either he had his hands in the cookie jar or he found out the rest of his team did. I educate myself with the taxes and where they were supposed to be allocated and nothing has gone to what they promised and below 1% has been used for recovery that is sitting somewhere and not being used in our time of need. It's never reported on and unless you work in the industry you don't understand what is happening. There looking the other way as growers and dispensary owners ( not all ) are selling out the back door because of competition and overstock of products. Even the testers that are supposed to give accurate information on mold, pesticide, THC content, etc.. are taking kickbacks to up numbers and not report harmful findings in the flower products. This isn't a guess this is over 30 years of experience in the market and everyone is fighting for customers so they don't go broke. Legal, grey area, and black market are all to blame
For Tim Grewe to walk away in the middle of the budget process is telling. Portland citizens need to understand that the current regime is not filled with honest people. Even worse is the fact that many of the Bureau Leadership Teams are full of un-imaginative people that drink the kool-aid and never ask the hard questions. I imagine Tim asked those questions and didnt like the answers. Your only recourse when that happens is to walk away.I can’t/wont tell you how I know how this works but I will tell you I walked away a few years earlier than planned due to this crap. I love being retired and being able to look myself in the mirror each morning and not feel like a criminal.
Unimaginative people is f-ing right !
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22d
It was a woman (Sarah Conor) but yeah
I hear that another city staffer that has left is someone from Office of Management and Finance Communications. She spouted off "Proper hygiene is a human right. COVID-19 is killing people. Bathrooms save lives. Please help spread the word." which attracted addicts and vagrants to front of community members homes and businesses near the HUCIRP red toilets including in the middle of the night. Yet she complained about a disgruntled citizen coming to the front of her own house in the middle of the night even though legally accessing any public sidewalk at any time of the day in front of anyone's home is no more illegally than druggies accessing HUCIRP red toilet.
I think like most……..I’m slowly realizing how much us(the taxpayers) have been getting hosed by our progressive government leaders. I feel so naive. Look forward to learning about this guy.
I'm surprised more of them haven't just
Do I smell smoke???
The plot thickens
He probably has a conscience and is unwilling to “go along” with the Portland gang
If y'all want some fun reading; I suggest going to both the City Auditors and the City Ombudsman's websites.
They are both very upfront about how horrible our city goverment is. They never outright say corruption but ya know... it's pretty damn implied.
Knowing nothing about why this happened, it must be whatever reason confirms my beliefs.
So you're reading all the comments too I see.
You don't get a severance package for quitting in any world other than government....
I dunno, most execs seem to. Not us peons though, in either case.
Yet he didn’t get a severance package…..what’s your point?
The golden parachute has become so ubiquitous in government that it's noteworthy someone didn't get a huge payout for getting fired?
Many people with iodine deficiency struggle with abstract reasoning and cognitive function, it's worth seeing a doc for a simple blood test - it's often semi-reversible.
It’s a fair point, because the last high level Portland government guy that quit unexpectedly had already been on paid leave for months, then managed to get a huge payout when he quit. If this guy decided to quit without getting an easy payout, it just looks suspicious. Perhaps he just doesn’t care about money, but it’s worth talking about.
Or, you know, someone (me) misunderstood your comment because it was framed ambiguously- take a chill pill and go get that test homie
You used the term "golden parachute" in your next comment without a hint of irony.
The City That Works™
Probably just got absolutely fed up with the BS and dipped out for a better job that was offered to him. Why should anybody get a severance package if they leave on their own anyway?
He’s 72 years old. He did not get offered a better job
Don't know his story, but often some life-long public-employee septuagenarian professionals remain as a favor or still feel a misplaced sense of duty. They usually have full pensions to fall back on, ample savings, medicare, etc... The minute things go sideways with pushback, they're like "Everyone GFYs. See ya." Can't blame them one bit.
Poor guy. Probably disgusted with the abject wastefulness of Portland municipal government.
He probably wasn’t OK with cooking the books anymore
One would think the mayor would have said something, even if resignation was for personal reasons, he did a great job, etc. Total silence is puzzling, and unnecessary.
Maybe he did something bad. This sounds like dismissal with cause . . . no severance. You don't publish why until the investigation is done.
Could be pressure to do unethical things he didn’t want to be apart of
Whistleblowers are protected so let’s see if he comes out with something once he distances himself from them
Wild speculation aside, the article doesn’t say much besides the fact that he quit after less than a year and couldn’t be reached by the reporter to learn why. Given his age, the massive changes to the form of government we voted in, and the current dysfunctional/lame duckish commission, he could just have easily said “this is way more than I want to deal with and my dr says it’s gonna lead to a heart attack “.
I’ll do it for less pay and will do a better job.
Love this lol
Just one more piece of evidence that Wheeler is a complete clown. So wish someone actually qualified both by resume and history wins mayorship and brings him back. This is Portland, though, so not betting on it.
I don’t think he wanted to be mayor, other than for something to add to his resume for his eventual run for Governor. I think he never expected Kitz to step down and have Brown take over… I think was a bit of a monkey wrench.
Kitzhaber was gone for two years before Ted became mayor
Another crooked liberal appointed position that is likely involved, to some degree, with misappropriating funds… hmm. Let’s keep the dream alive and keep voting the same way. Can’t get any worse, right? We can just raise taxes to pay for the fact that the dollars never made it to the cause. No problem here.
You've extrapolated a lot from a small set of data points. I'm not enamored with Portland's short bus government but you're just seeing what you want to see here bud.
So are you. Your point could have been factually presented rather than with an argument.
They don't need facts to say that the post they're criticizing was fact-free.
You sound like trumpy and that's not a good thing
Nice try. I am one of the growing mass of folks fed up with this bullshit. Perpetually voting with how you think it ought to be has gotten PDX to the state that it is in. It is infuriating to watch with, complete disconnect, that there is no correlation to the insane voting habits of the “woke” mob and the results we have to walk around, step over or plug our noses to not be repulsed.
Again, you trot out "vote differently!!! 1111" yet you cannot point to a race that had a better candidate. We need better candidates before we can vote for them.
Exactly. Quit trying to find differences and pay attention to the commonalities.
I'm down. We've lost sight of good civics.
Yessir!! We need better choices. MUCH less progressive and more moderate with a focus on fiscal responsibility… we know the social topics will always be safe here. I am NOT down with the current model of spending. Enjoy the weekend.
People on the left need to stop defending the bad qualities of the left by immediately bringing up trump. I too am a registered democrat. I voted for Obama twice, and I’m ostracized now by the mainstream Democratic Party for having non-extreme views.
I don't think you are. I don't think the extreme left and the mainstream Democrats are at all the same thing. New England doesn't have this problem.
I wonder if it has to do with taking money from Urban Alchemy!
For every dollar taxed, probably 90-95 cents will cover administrative costs, the rest will buy some sandwiches and Porta pottys for a year.... maybe
Spending money on little boys.
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Oh my my. How spicy.