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Multnomah County will take another step into the modern world of government on Thursday when two commissioners present the first reading of a new ordinance that would require lobbyists to register and commissioners to post their calendars on the internet.
Those changes and others are intended to bring the county into line with the city of Portland and Metro, the tri-county regional government, both of which have lobbying rules that go above and beyond state ethics rules that regulate conduct.
Multnomah lags other populous counties in the West as well. The counties surrounding Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego have bespoke lobbying laws. Clark County, Nev., which surrounds Las Vegas, requires lobbyists to register, too.
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, first elected in 2023, and Commissioner Shannon Singleton, elected last year, are pushing the ordinance. Multnomah County isn’t a hotbed of fraud, like, say, Cook County, Ill., which has been “a dark pool of political corruption for more than 140 years,” according to a 2010 report by the University of Illinois, Chicago.
But, the commissioners say: Better safe than sorry. Most Oregon politicians and political experts agree. As former City Commissioner Erik Sten told WW in February, when we started beating the drum on this issue (“Nothing to See Here,” WW, Feb. 26): “The absence of graft is not an argument for no disclosure.”
Plus, there’s a lot of taxpayer money at stake. When WW dug up the numbers (“A Fistful of Dollars,” March 12), we found that $1.2 billion of Multnomah County’s $3.3 billion budget is paid to contractors who don’t have to disclose their meetings with elected officials or staff.
So how do the recipients of that money feel about greater transparency?
For the past month, we’ve been asking the county’s biggest contractors what they think about bringing Multnomah County up to speed on lobbying laws. We posed three questions:
When was the last time a leader from your organization met with a county elected official or department head?
What was the subject of the meeting?
Would you support lobbying rules that required contractors and their lobbyists to register and report their activities?
It took us a while, but we got some answers—and a lot of silence. After taking out public-sector providers, including the city of Portland, Metro and the city of Gresham, we had a list of the top 18 private-sector or nonprofit contractors to the county in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024.
Eight of those didn’t answer after repeated requests. Among them was No. 3, Fortis Construction, which did $39.4 million worth of business with the county in fiscal 2024, according to figures we got through a public records request. No. 9, shelter provider Do Good Multnomah ($22 million), didn’t return messages, either. Nor did No. 14, Sunstone Way, with $12.9 million.
The most complete responses came from Kelly O’Lague, president of United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, the county’s No. 16 contractor at $10 million. They’re worth printing in full:
When was the last time a leader from your organization met with a county elected official or department head?
United Way of the Columbia-Willamette regularly engages with county officials and staff to discuss critical issues affecting our community. Most recently, we met with county staff last week. As an organization committed to addressing the challenges facing families living paycheck to paycheck and strengthening systems that promote health, youth opportunity, and financial stability, we actively collaborate with leaders and partners across the region and state.
What was the subject of the meeting?
Our recent discussions focused on housing stability and the needs of local families. We are committed to working alongside the county to strengthen local systems and ensure that funding is directed where it is needed most. While we have not made any requests for funding from Multnomah County, our focus remains on accountability, partnership, and ensuring resources effectively serve our community.
Would you support lobbying rules that required contractors and their lobbyists to register with the county and report their activities?
Yes. We support transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. Clear and accessible reporting is essential to maintaining public trust.
Bravo, United Way of Columbia-Willamette!
What did the others say? See the gallery below. Click the arrows to view all 18 contractors and their answers (or silence).
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