Multnomah County declares racism a 'public health crisis'
April 08 2021
The declaration is a signal of the elected commission's policy and investment priorities as it prepares a $3 billion budget.
Racism is now officially a public health crisis in Multnomah County.
County commissioners unanimously approved the declaration Thursday, March 8 — a signal of the board's priorities for policy and spending as Chair Deborah Kafoury prepares to release her $3 billion executive budget plan on April 22.
"The disparities in social conditions that different communities face are stark, egregious and persistent. But they are not intractable or inevitable," said Kafoury during the virtual meeting.
"I'm eager to dive into the next steps ahead of us," she said, "especially as we design our COVID-19 recovery strategy."