When the legislature established The Port of Portland (the "T" is supposed to be capitalized) 40+ years ago, it defined its jurisdiction to be the Oregon portion of the Portland Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA), as set by the Bureau of the Budget. The Oregon portion of the Portland SMSA included Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties.
Since that halcyon time, the Bureau of the Budget has become the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and OMB carries out the work of defining and revising these statistical areas.
In one of those revisions, hitherto unnoticed by the Legislature, OMB did away with SMSAs and replaced them with (if I recall rightly) Combined Metropolitan Statistical Areas and simple Metropolitan Statistical Areas. It tinkers with them from time to time.
Years ago it tinkered with Portland's MSA, and our MSA now includes Columbia and Yamhill Counties as well as the Big Three.
I don't think anyone's asked whether OMB's revision acts to automatically change the boundaries of The Port to conform to where the Portland MSA is today. Why does it matter? Two reasons: first, if The Port's boundaries include all of the MSA, then the Port can levy taxes in two new counties. Second, the statute that created The Port requires the Governor to name two Port commisioners from each county within the Port district. The commission has nine commissioners in total.
It's easy to name two from each county and add three Friends of the Governor when the Port consists of three counties, but it's more difficult to name two from each of the five MSA counties, or ten total, to a nine-member board.
I don't know, if I were Yamhill County, that I'd want to be part of The Port district and add its tax bite to my citizens' annual bills, and if I were Columbia County, I'd be in the awkward position of having territory in two port districts simultaneously. It's still something for their governing bodies to think about. I'd love to become a Port commissioner myself, but I don't live in Yamhill or Columbia County.
I've posted in the continuation the relevant portion of Chapter 778 of Oregon Revised Statutes, which defines the area within The Port of Portland district. Judge for yourself whether the maritime interests of Yamhill County should be on the move.
778.005 Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) “Board” means the board of commissioners of the Port of Portland.
(2) “Port” means The Port of Portland.
(3) “Elector” means an elector residing in the port.
(4) “Portland metropolitan area” means the Oregon portion of a standard metropolitan statistical area as designated and published by the United States Bureau of the Budget with an Oregon population of more than 750,000. [Amended by 1971 c.728 §103; 1973 c.178 §1]
778.008 Port of Portland granted powers of ports formed under ORS chapter 777; exceptions; additional powers. (1) ORS 777.005 to 777.050, 777.110, 777.120, 777.132 to 777.165, 777.210, 777.220 and 777.405 to 777.435 do not apply to the Port of Portland.
(2) Subject to subsection (1) of this section, the Port of Portland has all powers possessed by ports formed under ORS 285A.666 to 285A.732, 777.005 to 777.725, 777.915 to 777.953 and 777.990.
(3) ORS 777.530 and 777.535 apply to the Port of Portland and the Port of Portland has all powers granted to other ports under ORS 777.530 and 777.535.
(4) The Port of Portland shall do such things, perform such duties and exercise such powers as it may be authorized or empowered to do, perform or exercise by any Act of the legislature passed for that purpose, though not directly in amendment of this chapter. The powers granted by this chapter are in addition to other powers granted by law to the port.
(5) In addition to such other duties, functions and powers as may be imposed upon the Port of Portland, the port may make recommendations to the Oregon Board of Maritime Pilots. [1971 c.728 §116; 1987 c.775 §7; subsection (3) enacted as 1989 c.644 §5]
778.010 District known as Port of Portland; boundaries; capacity to sue. The Portland metropolitan area is a separate district, to be known as the Port of Portland, and as such shall have perpetual succession, and by that name shall exercise and carry out all the powers and objects conferred on it by law. The port may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in all actions, suits or proceedings brought by or against it; provided, however, that the bonded or other indebtedness of the port that was chargeable to or a lien upon the property within the limits of the port:
(1) Prior to June 30, 1963, shall not be chargeable to or a lien upon all of that property which lies east of the east boundary line of range two east of the Willamette Meridian in Multnomah County; or
(2) Prior to June 30, 1973, shall not be chargeable to or a lien upon all that property lying within the boundaries of Clackamas and Washington Counties. [Amended by 1963 c.124 §1; 1973 c.178 §2; 2003 c.802 §152]