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Portland City Council
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Portland City Council Adopts New Law Enforcement Mask Ban, ID Requirements

The city ordinance won’t give local police the authority to unmask ICE, but its supporters say it will help verify and prevent law enforcement impersonators.
Avatar photo by Courtney Vaughn

When federal immigration agents started showing up for duty last year in plain clothes with their faces half covered, it stoked fear in immigrants. It also sparked concerns about accountability and transparency within the broader community. Still, an ordinance aimed at requiring police to display agency ID and keep their faces visible at all times […]

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Reporting Live (Continued): City Council’s Contentious Budget Meeting

Shelter, parks, and city jobs are up for discussion.
Avatar photoAvatar photoAvatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden, Taylor Griggs and Courtney Vaughn

Portland city councilors this week are meeting to discuss amendments to Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposed budget. The city is working to address a $160 million budget gap, and the proposed amendments seek to hold onto union jobs and instead cut management jobs, and stop Wilson’s proposal to divert Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) dollars to […]

Posted inNews

Reporting Live: City Council’s Contentious Budget Meeting

Police oversight board, climate energy fund, and union jobs are on the chopping block
Avatar photoAvatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden and Taylor Griggs

Portland city councilors this week are meeting to discuss amendments to Mayor Keith Wilson’s proposed budget. The city is working to address a $160 million budget gap, and the proposed amendments seek to hold onto union jobs and instead cut management jobs, stop Wilson’s proposal to divert Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) dollars to other […]

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Protesters Push City To Investigate Firm That Appears To Supply Drone Tech to Israel

Sightline Intelligence sent AI-supported tool to company that provides drones to Israeli military, research group says
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

This story was co-published with the Guardian. Anti-war activists in Portland, Oregon, are pushing city authorities to ensure no local resources, tax breaks or investments support a local company that appears to be supplying artificial intelligence software to the Israeli military. The company, Sightline Intelligence, manufactures AI-supported video technology that is used in drones to interpret target movements and […]

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Good Morning News! Blazers Game 3, City Council Grills Housing Admin, Transpo Fee Expected To Pass, and Even Kash Patel Thinks This Is Weird

Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

If you appreciate the Mercury‘s interesting and useful news & culture reporting, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. Your donation is tax-deductible. You can also subscribe and have our papers delivered! Good Morning, Portland: Behold, the sun! It’s looking to be a gorgeous weekend, starting today (look outside, sleepyhead). The birds […]

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Council Grills City Administrators About Unbudgeted Housing Funds During First Oversight Hearing

Despite claims of renewed transparency, new records show city leadership was told not to accept requests from councilors regarding current budget talks.
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

Portland City Council launched its first ever oversight hearing Thursday, April 23, to determine why the administrative branch of the city did not disclose millions of dollars in unspent housing funds for several months last year. On November 20, 2025, the City Council approved a routine budget adjustment called the Fall Technical Ordinance Adjustment (TAO). […]

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Ethics Commission Dismisses Complaints Over Peacocks’ Legal Representation

Whether progressive caucus members violated ethics law during a retreat is still unclear. Attorney says the decision represents a bulwark for local democracy.
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

Portland city councilors are allowed to receive free representation to defend against legal complaints, so long as they go through the proper channels outlined in state law. That’s according to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC), which officially dismissed a complaint against five Portland city councilors on April 10. The commission said none of the […]

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