Climate Fund

The city is exploring new ways to financially support existing and future climate and urban forest programs in Milwaukie by creating a new climate fee for businesses and residents to support a larger community climate fund. Help direct how the fund is used by taking the online survey below from Oct. 24 to Nov. 6!

WHAT IS A CLIMATE FUND AND WHY IS IT NEEDED?

The Milwaukie community adopted strong greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and canopy expansion goals to combat climate change and promote community livability. In the last five years, Milwaukie has become a leader in small-community climate action and awarded in urban forestry. Looking forward, the climate and urban forest programs at the city needs dedicated funding to maintain existing work and progress further towards the adopted emission reduction and canopy goals. A climate fund, supported through a new climate fee, could establish a consistent resource for climate action moving forward and support these programs and work.

City Council is exploring a climate fund goal of $500,000 to pay for existing services and give a slight boost to the programs to explore new opportunities and incentives for the community. The new climate fund would be paid by business and residential utility customers, and a fee would appear on a customer’s monthly utility bill.

HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST?

Contributions to the fund are scaled for each customer type to reflect the greatest sources of carbon emissions in the city rather than property taxes. A utility customer’s monthly fee would be calculated considering their customer type (according to the Street Surface Maintenance Program) and reported number of billing units or dwelling units for residential properties. In the proposed fee structure, a single-family residential property owner would pay $2.13 per month and a multifamily unit property owner would pay $1.60 a month per unit. The proposed billing unit fees are:

Customers participating in the utility billing assistance program would not pay a fee. 
Click here to learn more about utility billing assistance.

WHAT COULD THIS FEE PAY FOR?

The climate fund would support both existing and future climate work with City Council and community direction: 

Tree planting and  care programs	Habitat education  and improvements	Electric vehicles and charger incentives	Bike and pedestrian programs	Building energy efficiency improvements	Clean energy and electrification programs

Each of the above city-led actions and programming would have a positive impact on Milwaukie's community carbon emissions. Program continuation and development would be directed by council and community feedback.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK ON CLIMATE FUND PRIORITIES BY TAKING THE SURVEY BELOW!

The survey will help guide staff and council in prioritizing programs and offerings that provide the most community benefits.

Milwaukie City Council asked staff to explore what programs would be of the most interest to community members. Programs could include educational and outreach efforts like sustainability events and fairs, financial incentives like rebates, grants or scholarships for energy efficiency upgrades and repairs, community partnerships with non-profits for services and offerings, and other programs that offer economic, environmental, and livability benefits. 

The survey will be open from Oct. 24 to Nov. 6. 

Physical copies will be made available at the below city buildings:

City Hall - 10722 SE Main St Milwaukie, OR 97222

Ledding Library - 10660 SE 21st Ave St, Milwaukie, OR 97222 

Public Safety Building - 3200 SE Harrison St, Milwaukie, OR 97222 

Johnson Creek Facility - 6101 SE Johnson Creek Blvd, Milwaukie, OR 97206