THE BIG SUMMER SALE

Vega Pederson is under pressure. Her colleagues’ collective clamor to spend surplus county dollars on properties with urgency came in the same week Gov. Tina Kotek announced a “task force” to tackle homelessness and public safety—an obvious slap at Vega Pederson and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. Metro is also ratcheting up its oversight of county spending. All of that means Vega Pederson faces unprecedented scrutiny and demands for Multnomah County to move with dispatch.

Last month, Vega Pederson botched the rollout of tinfoil and straws for fentanyl users, as WW first reported. Last week, The Oregonian chronicled the county’s failure to provide basic services at a new safe rest village in inner Southeast Portland.

But those stories mask the larger issue: The county has simply failed to spend the money voters have sent its way. Behind the scenes, Vega Pederson’s chief

Vega Pederson was mostly in listening mode last week. Unlike her colleagues, she did not bring a wish list, and while she asked questions, she kept her cards close to her vest.

The opportunity for her is to share the authority, the workload, and even the blame by incorporating the suggestions others made. She can lead the parade, or risk getting run over.

“I think there’s a fair amount of trepidation on the chair’s part,” Jayapal says. “There’s risk involved in being open and transparent in public.”

County spokeswoman Julie Sullivan-Springhetti says Vega Pederson is gathering data and considering her colleagues’ wish lists.

“She and her staff are evaluating the information around the bricks-and-mortar options and Bybee Lakes,” Sullivan-Springhetti says. “She’ll comment when the analysis is complete.”

The board expects to vote on allocating the surplus money in late August.