PORTLAND, Ore. – Three Portland city councilors and their chiefs of staff have departed on a trip to Vienna to study the Austrian capital’s celebrated social housing model. But as they travel abroad on the public dime, taxpayers still do not know how much the trip will cost.
The Vienna Delegation
Councilors Mitch Green, Candace Avalos, and Jamie Dunphy joined a U.S. cohort traveling to Austria to examine Vienna’s housing policies, which are frequently praised by progressive housing advocates. Vienna’s system integrates middle-class residents into affordable housing complexes, creating mixed-income communities that many believe could serve as a model for Portland.
Each councilor is drawing on their $1.3 million annual office budget to cover the cost of the trip. Those funds are allocated at the councilors’ discretion, though officials are required to follow city travel policies.
Questions of Cost
The Oregonian/OregonLive reported in August that a spokesperson for the councilors, Shuly Wasserstrom, declined to provide cost estimates and instead directed reporters to file a public records request. That request, submitted on August 28, remains unfulfilled as of this week.
City policy requires elected officials to file Travel Authorization/Expense Reports before and after their trips. Pre-travel forms include estimated costs, while post-travel forms require receipts. However, officials say the total cost of airfare, lodging, and daily expenses will not be available until the delegation returns on September 13.
“We won’t have the total until they are back,” Wasserstrom confirmed in a text message last Friday.
Travel Rules and Per Diems
Under city policy, travel expenses—including for councilors—must be pre-approved even though councilors authorize their own budgets. Staff traveling with them are also required to file pre-travel paperwork.
Portland follows U.S. State Department per diem rates for international trips. For Vienna, the daily allowance currently stands at $507, which covers meals and incidental costs, with reductions when meals are provided. That figure does not include airfare or hotel stays, which may significantly increase the overall bill.
Public Records Delay
Oregon public records law requires governments to respond to requests within five business days and provide records “as soon as practicable,” generally within 15 business days. Agencies can extend the timeline under certain circumstances, including staff unavailability.
On Monday, a city paralegal informed The Oregonian/OregonLive that the records request likely would not be addressed until after councilors return, since staff needed to review the paperwork were abroad.
“The records are currently being reviewed by the Councilor’s Offices,” paralegal Austin Axelrod wrote. “Since they are currently attending the conference in Vienna it is unlikely they will be able to get them reviewed until after they are back.”
Broader Context
The Vienna trip comes amid Portland’s ongoing budget challenges and intense debate over how best to address the city’s housing crisis. Earlier this year, councilors weighed using their office budgets to open local district offices or to help shore up departments facing cuts.
Councilors Green and Avalos sponsored the April resolution directing the city to research social housing models and deliver recommendations by next May.
Three Portland Housing Bureau staff members also joined the Vienna trip. Two are paying their own way, while Avalos’ office is covering expenses for the third.
Awaiting Accountability
While the delegation examines Vienna’s approach to housing, Portland residents must wait until after September 13 for a clear accounting of how much taxpayer money was spent. Until then, the trip’s cost—and whether it is viewed as a wise investment—remains under wraps.
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