PCEF (Portland Community Clean Energy Fund)

At our June 11th Meeting the Central Committee of the Multnomah County Democrats passed Resolution 2026-12, urging Portland City Council not to divert funds from the Portland Clean Energy Benefit Fund (PCEF) for other projects. It is   a call to align public investment decisions with the values that define our community relating to climate justice and investments.

Approved – Resolution 2026-12_ Protection for PCEF Funds For Intended Use

The title of the resolution,“Supporting Protection of Funding from the Portland Community Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) Only for Its Intended Purpose,” reaffirms our commitment to protecting voter-approved climate investments and ensuring those funds are used as Portlanders intended. Some councilors are considering moving PCEF-designated funds toward other projects, including the MODA Center renovation and Portland Police staffing.

Now that it has been adopted, the resolution is to be shared with Mayor Wilson and all city councilors.

Voters approved the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) in 2018 with 65% support to fund community-driven climate projects that advance environmental sustainability while promoting racial and social justice. Since its creation, the program has invested in hundreds of community projects, helped train thousands of Portlanders for family-wage jobs, improved energy efficiency for more than 22,000 households, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions across the city.

As the final resolution states, “The Multnomah County Democratic Central Committee supports full continued funding from the PCEF only for its intended and stated purposes, including the Climate Investment Plan, and opposes any legislative or voter-initiated attempts to rescind, restrict, or divert funding from the PCEF from its intended and stated purpose.”

The resolution comes at a time when Portland faces difficult budget decisions and competing priorities. However, the Multnomah County Democrats believe that voter-approved funds should be used for the purposes promised to the public. Protecting the integrity of PCEF ensures continued investment in climate resilience, workforce development, energy efficiency and historically underserved communities while honoring the will of Portland voters. Through this resolution, the Multnomah County Democrats formally urge Portland’s elected leaders to preserve the PCEF for its intended mission and oppose efforts to redirect its funding elsewhere.

The Multnomah Democrats use our resolutions as the basis for our advocacy work.  If you’d like to join our Platform, Legislation and Advocacy Committee, and be a part of following up on resolutions like this one, please fill out a volunteer form here, and we’ll get you connected in one of the issue areas that matters most to you.