Multnomah County shutters passport services after 'painful tradeoffs' in budget

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After a budget session that brought “painful tradeoffs,” Multnomah County is shutting down its Passport Program amid budget constraints.

The soon-to-be shuttered service comes after the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved a $4 billion budget on June 12, with numerous programs facing cuts or reductions.

“This year, the County faced its largest funding gap in more than a decade. When the Board unanimously passed a balanced budget for FY 2026, that work unfortunately required painful cuts to successful and beloved services — including the Passport Program — in order to prioritize and sustain core health, homelessness and human services programs,” Multnomah County Spokesperson Denis Theriault told KOIN 6 News Wednesday.

Because of the budget constraints, Multnomah County’s Passport Program is shutting down June 20, 2025.

As the program comes to an end, the county says it is fulfilling existing appointments, and no new appointments can be made.

“As government services move online, our hope is passport renewal is something that can be accessed within the comfort of your own home or at one of many other locations for in-person passport renewals throughout the county,” Theriault said.

Around seven full-time-equivalent positions are impacted by the Passport Program closing, the county said, noting those workers may not necessarily lose employment with the county.

"The County is working across all of its departments and offices, and with its labor partners, to move people affected by job reductions into other positions as possible. Many job reductions Countywide also affected vacant positions. A final accounting of workers who will lose employment with the County is still being determined," Theriault explained.

According to the county, ending the passport program is saving the county an estimated $861,780, as part of an effort to close the county’s $15.5 million deficit in the county’s general fund budget.

The budget covers the fiscal year spanning July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. It includes an increase in shelter beds and services for people experiencing homelessness, funding the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and programs aimed at tackling the community substance use crisis.

In a letter to the community addressing the approved $4 billion budget, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson explained that the budget aims to maintain core services.

"Our adopted budget will continue to support tens of thousands of our residents in the most vulnerable situations and provide critical services that benefit everyone. From shelter to housing, addiction treatment to mental health support, a fair justice system to deflection, preschool to SUN school services, libraries to sustainability – these are not just line items in a budget, they encompass a coordinated safety net that’s there for each of us when needed," Vega Pederson said.

The county chair continued, "We know it’s not possible to make cuts to this degree and not have it affect the services we provide. Still, as a Board we’ve maintained the programs and services where we’ve seen progress in recent years. Investments that have led to reductions in violence and crime. Initiatives that have been successful in helping tackle the mental health and addiction crises. Investments in health and human services that provide a way forward for so many. A system of homeless services that is sheltering, housing, and preventing homelessness for more people than ever before."

Multnomah County's passport webpage directs community members to the United States Department of State to apply for a passport.