Salem city councilors approved the city’s 2027 budget on Monday, June 22, funding expanded homeless camp cleanup and outreach programs as well as a fire department-run mobile crisis unit.

Budget Details

The new budget, which takes effect on July 1, gave the city an $824.6 million spending limit to pay for a range of services including public works, police and fire departments, the library and parks.

Councilors Shane Matthews, Deanna Gwyn, Paul Tigan, Irvin Brown and Salem Mayor Julie Hoy voted to approve the budget. Councilor Vanessa Nordyke and Council President Linda Nishioka recused themselves from the vote citing conflicts of interest, and Councilor Mai Vang was absent.

The budget reflects a city strategy testing new services before committing permanent funding. The budget passed Monday night continues the Salem Fire Department’s REACH team, which responds to people in crisis, at a cost of about $510,000.

The new budget also continues the expansion of two city teams that responded to homeless camps – the police department’s Homeless Services Team and the civilian Salem Clean Team. City councilors voted in October to expand both teams so they could work seven days a week.

Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.