Clackamas County · November 3, 2026
Portland City Council, Treasurer
- 1
- Candidates
- 1
- Seats
- Vote for one
- Method
- Nov 3
- Due 8 p.m.
Our readingDraft
One candidate is on the ballot. The question left is how safety, liquidity and return will be balanced, and which benchmarks and risk measures the office will publish.
| Candidate | 0 of 1 documented | 0 of 1 documented | 1 of 1 documented | 0 of 1 documented | Save to my ballot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Homes | Safety | Money | Roads |
What this office decides right now
What’s at stake
The treasurer safeguards and invests county cash, runs the county's banking and distributes property taxes to more than 125 taxing districts; the Board sets appropriations. The next term manages reserves drawn down by courthouse payments and new tax-exempt bonds for the Recovery Campus.
Each of this office’s 2 live choices is a board below, with every candidate’s stated position or the gap.
$827 million in cash and investments
At June 30, 2025 the county held $827,470,054 in cash and investments: $302.1 million in money-market deposits, $163.1 million in the state's Local Government Investment Pool, $144.2 million in U.S. agency securities, $136.8 million in Treasuries, $19.3 million in municipal bonds and $37.5 million in demand deposits.
What the office holds
The treasurer is the county's chief investment officer, reconciles 20 county bank accounts, keeps about 50 county and public-trust accounts, distributes property tax to more than 125 taxing districts and doubles as internal audit director.
Interest and reserves
The FY 2026-27 proposed budget expects $15.3 million in interest income and gives the Treasurer's Office $1.1 million in General Fund support; countywide contingency falls $10.4 million to $128.9 million after the courthouse payment, with General Fund contingency at $23.6 million and reserves at $21.3 million.
A $328 million, no-interest loan
The county's audited statements record the courthouse as a $327,812,939 loan from Clackamas Progress Partners repaid at $908,069 a month until April 2055 with no interest, after the state's $130 million was passed through; the partner's operations and renewal fee for FY 2026 was set at $3,495,374.
Recovery Campus bonds
The Board held a hearing September 17, 2026 on up to $10.3 million in tax-exempt bonds for two Recovery Campus buildings at 15301 SE 92nd Avenue, offering withdrawal management, residential treatment, transitional housing and outpatient care, to be run by nonprofit Fora Health with the county keeping ownership.
The adopted budget
On June 17, 2026 the Board adopted the FY 2026-27 county budget 5–0 on Savas's motion, seconded by Helm: $1,528,305,199 in total, $1,401,336,042 appropriated and $198,116,517 in General Fund Support, plus eight district budgets that bring the all-county figure to about $2.0 billion.
Where they stand · two more choices
Two choices Clackamas County faces
One question at a time: every candidate’s answer, A–Z, with its source. Open all to see who has said nothing about what.
Safety before yieldKeep safety and liquidity ahead of return when investing county cash?1 of 1 on record
The treasurer is the county's chief investment officer over $827.5 million in cash and investments at June 30, 2025, including $163.1 million in the state's Local Government Investment Pool and $136.8 million in U.S. Treasuries, and distributes property taxes to more than 125 taxing districts; the FY 2026-27 proposed budget expects $15.3 million in interest income.
- Brian T NavaIncumbent treasurer; former auditorSafe, liquid, then return
Said: What they said
Would continue prudent investing that keeps county funds safe and liquid first while achieving the best return possible.
Cash-control trainingKeep offering free cash-control training to cities, districts and county staff?1 of 1 on record
The Treasurer's Office draws $1.1 million in General Fund support in the FY 2026-27 proposed budget and its treasurer also serves as the county's internal audit administrator, with a channel for employees and volunteers to report suspected fraud, waste and abuse.
- Brian T NavaIncumbent treasurer; former auditorFree training continues
Said: What they said
Says he set a strategy for good cash controls across the county by offering free training to all cities, districts and county employees, and would keep improving banking functions.
About this race
What this office can do
The treasurer safeguards and invests county funds and manages treasury operations; the board determines appropriations.
How this list was made
Same questions for everyone, A–Z. Each chip is our short reading of a sourced statement; we do not endorse, rank or score.
Reviewed September 18, 2026 · lines 2026-09-19.1 · AI-assisted, human review pending
Terms explained
- Amendment
- A proposed change to a measure before the final vote. Voting for an amendment is not the same as voting for the whole measure.
- Supplemental budget
- A mid-year change to the city budget after the main budget is adopted.
- Appropriation
- Permission to spend money on something. It does not mean the money has been spent or the result achieved.
- PCEF
- The Portland Clean Energy Fund: a tax on large retailers that pays for climate projects. Council has debated using its interest for other services.
- Term sheet
- Starting terms for a negotiation. Approving one is not a final contract.
- Housing owned by the public or a nonprofit and rented at controlled prices.
- CEI Hub
- The fuel-storage area along the Willamette in Northwest Portland, where Zenith Energy operates.
- Ranked choice
- You rank candidates in order. If your first choice is eliminated or already elected, your vote counts toward your next choice.