Portland Mayor Mark Dion joined WGAN Morning News.  He discussed the city’s budget challenges, particularly the significant reduction in state funding for housing and shelter operations, which could affect 592 households. He emphasized the need for concrete, tangible support from the state to avoid evictions and overburdening shelters. Dion highlighted the difficulty of balancing public expectations with limited resources, noting internal cost spikes in wages and health insurance. He stressed the importance of prioritizing essential services and the challenge of saying no to constituent demands. The conversation also touched on the broader implications of government’s role in addressing multiple needs with limited funds.