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We need your help. Testify on new timber tax bills on Thursday.
Three timber tax bills will be coming up in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee this Thursday, 2/25 at 3:15pm. These bills are looking to raise taxes on our private landowners and we need to push back.
HB 2379 eliminates the Forest Products Harvest Tax, imposes a 5% severance tax on harvested timber and reallocates revenue from the tax. This tax would mostly go into state black holes and only 25% would actually go to the local county where the timber was harvested. The bill also requires EVERY timber owner to file a severance tax liability whether they harvested timber or not. This bill will create an emergency wildfire fund with no clear direction to what it is supposed to do.
HB 2598 maintains the Forest Products Harvest Tax but de-funds the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) by redirecting the portion of the tax that funds it to the Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund AND assesses an additional 3-8% severance tax on the value of harvested timber, punishing landowners who clear cut and harvest at younger rotation age with higher taxes. (OFRI does positive work in educating kids, the public and landowners.)
HB 2389 makes the Forest Products Harvest Tax rate permanent and fixes it to inflation.
After a devastating fire season, coupled with the economic impact of a global pandemic, now is not the time to raise taxes and inflict more pain on rural Oregon. Imposing new tax burdens on timber harvest will eliminate jobs and businesses in the places that need them the most. Now is the time to rebuild and implement common sense forest and fire protection policies.
If you would like to have your voice heard and push back against these measures, visit HERE to view information on how to testify.
On February 22nd, the Senate Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing and took testimony on Senate Bill 554. This bill would significantly affect an individual's ability to carry a concealed weapon in Oregon. It would allow cities, counties, ports, airports, school districts, colleges and universities to adopt policies disallowing the possession of firearms via concealed carry. Additionally, the bill would increase the maximum cost of a concealed carry permit. Thousands of Oregonians have submitted comments on this bill. We remain opposed to any bill which will weaken our second amendment rights.
Oregon Housing and Community Services has launched the residential assistance program. More information can be found here: https://lcf.oregon.gov/lcf
The Landlord Compensation Fund Program provides relief to residential landlords who have been unable to collect tenant rent due to tenant financial hardships. Landlords whose applications are accepted and awarded will receive 80% of unpaid rent they are owed by qualified tenants from April 2020 through the application period. They will be required to forgive the remaining 20% of unpaid rent.
Jackson and Crook Counties both moved from Extreme to High Risk. The high risk category increases the maximum outdoor social gathering size to 8, and reopens indoor dining, gyms, and indoor entertainment with limits to 25% capacity. Outdoor recreation and entertainment increases to 75 people. It also allows for visitations at long-term care facilities.
Oregon is currently vaccinating seniors 70 years and older.
For those who wish to be vaccinated, you can find the sign-up tool HERE.
If you need assistance, please call 211 or 1-866-698-6155 (open 6am-7pm daily) and an operator will help you through this process. Wait times may be long due to high call volumes and you can choose the option for a call back instead of waiting on hold. You can also find a list of FAQs HERE.
Sincerely,
 Vikki Breese-Iverson
State Representative
House District 55
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1455
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-395, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.VikkiBreeseIverson@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/breese-iverson
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