|
Greetings
from Salem!
Tuesday was generally the deadline to introduce bills for
consideration this legislative session.
After introduced by a Representative, a bill is assigned to a house
committee, where public hearings and work sessions are held, during which time
amendments can be added. Not all bills
receive a work session, but this is when a proposed bill receives its first
vote, and if approved by committee, is referred to the chamber floor. If a majority of all members vote to pass the
bill, it then moves across to the Senate, where the same committee process
begins again. If the bill is amended by
the Senate, after approval on the Senate floor, it must come back to the House
for another vote on the amended version.
A bill that is introduced by a Senator works through the same procedure,
starting on the Senate side before moving to the House. If the final version of the bill is approved
by both chambers, it then goes to the Governor’s desk, where she can veto it,
sign it, or let it sit on her desk for five days before it becomes law without
the Governor’s signature.
This week I testified in the House Revenue Committee on HB 2859
on behalf of small woodlands owners and farmers. As introduced, HB 2859 would eliminate all
special assessments on farm and forest land by 2024. By removing special assessments on Exclusive
Farm Use land, personal property and equipment, famers could see their tax bill
rising by 700 to 800 percent. As farmers
noted during their testimony, this would be catastrophic and make family
farming in Oregon unsustainable. A similar
scenario exists for small woodland owners, who, upon implementation of this
legislation, might have to clear cut large tracts of forest lands in order to
cover their tax bill. Every two years,
the Committee on Revenue introduces these types of bills so lawmakers can
examine special assessments and tax credits, and determine the ones that are
the most beneficial for our state. I
believe that farming and forestry are so integral to Oregon’s economy and
culture that it is inconceivable that Oregon lawmakers will eliminate these
farm and forest land special assessments.
At the end of the meeting, Committee Chair Phil Barnhart told the
farmers, ranchers and foresters that they had made their case, and the special
assessments for farms and forest lands would continue, we await that written legislative
amendment.
There was a joint meeting of the House Energy and Environment
and Senate Environment and Natural Resources committees on Wednesday to hold a
public hearing on bills relating to Climate Change. HB 2135, HB 2468, SB 557 SB748 and LC
(Legislative Concept) 1242 were all scheduled for discussion. The bills address
different ways to deal with reducing carbon emissions. There are many options,
including cap and trade, cap and invest, even a tax on carbon. There was a huge turnout for the public hearing
with hundreds of people coming from all parts of the state to testify. There is tremendous interest in these issues
and people expressed concern for protection of both the environment and
economy. There is a lot of work being
done regionally on various climate change legislation, and we have potential
partnerships with other west coast states, and Canadian Provinces like British
Columbia, Quebec and Ontario. Every time we implement a new system, we create
opportunities for new jobs, so there is the real potential for economic
growth. We don’t need to reinvent the
wheel, we will be working to learn from other jurisdictions, so when we move
forward we do so in a way that benefits Oregon.
The Coastal Caucus, Senators and Representatives that represent
our coastal legislative districts, meets weekly, and this week we had a very
informative briefing from Matt Garrett, the Agency Director of the Oregon
Department of Transportation. One of
Governor Brown’s priorities this session is a comprehensive transportation
package, and Garrett says lawmakers are working on four overlapping areas that
need to be addressed: preservation, congestion, transit and multi-model. Director Garrett has a difficult job, because
as ODOT works to repair and enhance our transportation network, he has to keep
resiliency in mind, preparing Oregon for natural disaster damage, and the
subsequent recovery from catastrophic events.
It was clear from the discussion that coastal lawmakers agree that the
immediate needs of maintaining and building our transportation network is key,
but we also need to “armor” the infrastructure so it can hold up during major
events, and then be available to facilitate our economic recovery.
My
office has been receiving lots of postcards from constituents regarding a
variety of issues, and I want you to know I hear your voice, and appreciate
your opinions. However, I cannot reply
individually if there is no return address.
In
many cases the comments I have been receiving bundle state and federal
issues. For instance, there have been
many comments regarding the possible transfer of federally owned lands into
state ownership. Constituents are
expressing concerns about public access, and also due to Oregon’s budgetary
constraints whether we would have the resources to be able to adequately manage
huge tracts of land. I agree with those
concerns, but feel it is premature to worry about what the federal government
might consider regarding land grants.
It
was so nice to see many constituents this week, farmers and future farmers, OSU
students and faculty, Port officials, and concerned citizens. I value the input I receive, as it helps me
make decisions that best represent House District 32. If you are planning a trip to Salem, let my
office know so we can schedule an appointment.
My office is H-481 and my door is always open to constituents. If you
have a concern or comment about a state agency, or proposed legislation, you
can write, phone or email my office.
It
is my privilege to serve you in the House of Representatives and I look forward
to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Representative Deborah Boone
House District 32
email: Rep.DeborahBoone@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1432
address: 900 Court St NE, H-481, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boone
| 
