PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Two Multnomah County commissioners are urging Chair Jessica Vega Pederson to pause and “reset” negotiations over public financing for proposed [Moda Center](https://www.kptv.com/search/?query=moda%20center) renovations, arguing the county has been asked to commit more money than the city while receiving few specific benefits in return.
In a Thursday, July 16 letter to Vega Pederson, Commissioners Meghan Moyer and Julia Brim-Edwards said the process to date has “failed” and criticized a June 23 work session as unproductive, citing a lack of basic information and saying the Portland Trail Blazers did not attend despite a commitment to participate.
The commissioners said Multnomah County differs from other public partners because it has no ownership stake in the arena and does not receive income or property tax revenue tied to the facility, making it essential that any county contribution be smaller than the city’s.
They pointed to what they called the “Chair’s Proposal,” scheduled for a July 23 vote, and said it would obligate the county to contribute about $125 million in renovation-related costs when bond interest is included — more than the city’s proposed $120 million contribution. “This is not a ‘fair deal,’” the letter said.
Moyer and Brim-Edwards called for concrete protections and benefits before any commitment of county funds, including project labor and labor harmony agreements, a community benefits agreement, and a revenue stream — such as a payment in lieu of taxes — that would at minimum cover county bond debt payments.
They also said county dollars should not come from general fund revenue without an offset at a time when the county faces service cuts, naming SUN Schools, rent assistance and behavioral health as examples.
Among other conditions they outlined were a “clawback” if the Blazers move out of Portland, clarity on what renovations county funds would pay for, and a commitment that no new tax increment financing district be created without county approval and a direct role for the county commission.
The commissioners requested additional information before any vote, including a detailed construction schedule and costs, an updated economic impact report specific to Multnomah County, the status of labor agreements, details of any proposed or contemplated TIF district, and revenue-sharing options in a negotiated lease.
They urged that the county’s chief operating officer be empowered to lead negotiations with guidance from the full board and assistance from an outside consultant experienced in public-private stadium deals, arguing that individual commissioners and the public have not had a substantive role in discussions so far.
“The Chair’s term ends this year,” they wrote, “but the County and taxpayers will bear the ramifications of the financial obligation … through 2049.”
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