Top Legislative Budget Writers Release Plan to Rebalance State Budget

SALEM, Ore. – The co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means – Senators Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) and Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-NW Portland/Beaverton) and Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) – released their budget rebalance proposal prior to an anticipated special session.

In the face of an unprecedented economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the co-chairs worked to ensure that their proposal maintained essential services that Oregonians depend on, including critical investments in public education, health care, child welfare, housing and more. Maintaining these programs will be crucial in order to protect vulnerable Oregonians, put the state on a path to recovery and work toward economic resilience.

The proposal judiciously uses a portion of the Education Stability Fund to spare students and teachers from devastating program cuts amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, while preserving a strong level of reserves to help weather upcoming budget cycles when state revenue is projected to further decline due to the dramatic impact the of the pandemic on Oregon’s economy.

The scale of this crisis highlights the critical need for further federal action to support state investments in essential services that provide safety and security for all Oregonians, including the state’s most vulnerable populations.

The full text of the co-chairs’ budget rebalance framework is available here. The Joint Ways and Means Subcommittees will meet next week to hear public testimony on the rebalance proposal at the following dates and times:

Wednesday, July 22: Natural Resources: 9 am-12 pm; General Government: 1-4 pm

Thursday, July 23: Education: 9 am-12 pm; Human Services: 1-4 pm

Friday, July 24: Public Safety: 9 am-12 pm; Transportation and Economic Development: 1-4 pm

Additional details on the plan’s budget reductions and public hearing mechanics will be made public early next week.

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News Update from across the State:

• Governor Brown issued a statement on Oregon’s schools.
• The Oregon Worker Relief Fund distributed its first $8.6 million in relief funds by July 1, providing more than 5,000 individuals an average of $1,712 each.
• There has been some follow-up reporting on E-board action including highlighting the Black Resiliency Fund (Rep. Lawrence Spence interviewed) and funding for Warm Springs water system.
• The Oregon office of Economic Analysis has put up a blog post on Oregon’s job growth.
• Bend is asking tourists not to visit, especially through Labor Day and are encouraging hotels etc. not to accept new reservations.
• Virginia is the first state to adopt COVID-19 workplace safety rules.
• PEW wrote about contact tracing efforts and barriers. Oregon is listed as one of the few states which have “managed to hire and train the recommended number of disease investigators to curtail community spread of the virus”.
• Yesterday, on Think Out Loud Sandy High School students spoke about their efforts to ban displays of the confederate flag in school.
• Students across Oregon are also looking to remove police in schools.
• There has been a lot of reporting around federal troops’ deployment in Portland. Willamette Week covered what agencies are on the ground as well as Governor Brown’s reaction.
• The Attorney General is appealing the federal judge’s decision to relax ballot measure requirements following the redistricting ballot measure decision.
• The Attorney General also filed suit against Sec. Devos around her repeal of borrower-defense rules.
• Next week is the 30^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, NCSL interviewed former Senator Tom Harkin. They also have a variety of resources to share around the law and the anniversary and will be putting more information out next week as well.
• In addition, the Human Rights Commission (created through 2019 legislation) is hiring. The flyer is here.
• Controversy in Metolius has come to light around the City Council’s decision to display a wooden train.
• Trump has proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, including eliminating environmental impact reports for some projects and streamlining the approval process for pipelines and other projects.
• OPB reported on the spike in homicides and shootings in Portland.

Guiding Principles for Budget Reblancing and Second Special Session of 2020

When the coronavirus hit the nation and the world, it soon became obvious that this would present a challenge unlike any we have ever faced. The impact of COVID-19 also cast a bright light on Oregon’s social, regional and racial divide.

Watch, listen and participate live and become part of our program community:

Borrowing a theme from one of radio's historical legacies left to us by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, we have created “Fireside Chats.”   These programs are designed to inform and educate us about the workers and businesses most impacted by the pandemic. They also reflect our commitment to open dialogue, transparency and collaborative problem solving as we discuss directly with constituents the economic and social crises we now face.  

What: KXCR 90.7 FM  "Fireside Chats" 

When: Tuesday, July 21st

Time: 5:00 p.m.

We invite you to join Senator Arnie Roblan, State Representatives Caddy McKeown and David Gomberg, Chris Cummings, Interim Director of Business Oregon, and Anthony Del Ponte, Pacific Seafood, as we examine the programs and services identified by the Co-Chairs of the Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee as critical to Oregonians.  You will be able to participate in the discussion and share where you think we should be investing our resources in the wake of the unprecedented public and economic crisis we face. 

email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1705
address: 900 Court St NE, S-417, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/roblan