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Dear friends,
Today, February 5, Oregon's 83st Legislative Assembly officially begins its 2024 "short" session. The short session must conclude by March 10 since it is limited to 35 days under the Oregon Constitution (unless extended by a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and House).
To help constituents navigate participation in the legislative process this session, House Majority Leader Julie Fahey's office has created a useful guide, available here.
As mentioned in my December e-bulletin, much of my attention this session will be on how best to address the national fentanyl epidemic in Oregon and the unintended consequences of voter-approved Ballot Measure 110. Clearly, Measure 110 is not working as intended and steps must be taken to address these issues in February during the 2024 Legislative Session.
Below you will find information on:
- Tax Season Resources
- State Forests Listening Session for Lane County Residents: 2/6/24
- Scam Alert: Buying a New Home or Refinancing?
- 2024 "She Flies" Community Grant Application
- Downed Tree(s)? Donate as Firewood!
I hope this information is helpful and informative for you or someone you know. As always, feel free to share your comments, questions or concerns with me by phone, mail or e-mail.
Tax Season Resources
As tax season begins, the Department of Revenue (DOR) is sharing the following resources for Oregonians:
Department of Revenue begins Processing 2023 Returns
DOR began processing e-filed 2023 state income tax returns on January 29. Paper filed returns will be processed starting in mid-February. E-filing is the fastest way for a taxpayer to claim their share of the $5.6 billion kicker and get their refund. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.
E-filed returns will be processed in the order they are received. However, as in years past, the department will begin issuing personal income tax refunds after February 15.
Be prepared before you file an Oregon income tax return
The department reminds taxpayers a few steps can make it easier to fill out a tax return.
- Gather and organize your tax records and wait until you have all tax records ready including:
- Forms W-2 from your employer(s)
- Forms 1099 from banks and other payers including unemployment compensation, dividends, distributions from a pension, annuity, retirement plan, or other non-employee compensation
- Forms 1099-K, 1099-MISC, 1099-NEC, or other income statement if you worked in the gig economy
- Use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit. File electronically, choose direct deposit and you will get a refund faster.
- Choose a reputable tax return preparer. This is important because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them. The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a Licensee Lookup website. The IRS has a website with information.
Free Options for e-Filing Oregon Income Tax Returns
All Oregon resident taxpayers preparing their own returns in 2024 can file electronically at no cost using one of Oregon's free file options. Oregon Free Fillable Forms performs basic calculations and is ideal for taxpayers who don't need help preparing their returns and want the convenience of filing electronically. The IRS offers a similar option for filing federal taxes electronically.
New this year, the Department of Revenue is also offering Direct File Oregon, which allows taxpayers to file their Form OR-40 through Revenue Online. Direct File Oregon is not currently linked with the IRS Direct File. Taxpayers will need to file a separate federal return with the IRS before filing an Oregon return with Direct File Oregon through Revenue Online.
Federal Earned Income Tax Credit and Oregon Earned Income Credit
Oregon and the Internal Revenue Service offer many tax credits for low- to moderate-income families. These credits are fully or partially refundable, so the portion of the credit, more than what is owed, can be refunded to a person. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal credit for people making up to $63,398 in 2023 and a person who qualifies may use the credit to reduce taxes owed and maybe increase their refund.
If a person qualifies for EITC, they can also claim the Oregon Earned Income Credit (EIC) which is up to 12 percent of the federal EITC. Individuals may qualify for the EITC, Oregon EIC, and other credits, even if they are not required to file. To receive the refundable credits, however, they must file a federal and state tax return.
More information about the federal EITC, the Oregon EIC, the Oregon Kids Credit and other similar credits, go to the Tax Benefits for Families page.
Oregon Kids Credit
New for tax year 2023, Oregon Kids Credit is a refundable credit for low-income people with young dependent children. For those with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of $25,000 or less, the full credit is $1,000, per child for up to five dependent children under the age of 6 at the end of the tax year. A partial credit is available for individuals and families with MAGI up to $30,000.
Senior and Disabled Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program
A disabled or senior homeowner may qualify for a program to borrow from the State of Oregon to pay county property taxes. If a taxpayer qualifies for the program, the Oregon Department of Revenue will pay county property taxes on November 15 of each year.
To participate, a taxpayer must file an application with the county assessor by April 15, or pay a fee and file late from April 16 to December 1. A lien will be placed on the qualified taxpayer property, and the Department of Revenue will become a security interest holder.
For additional information, and to apply for the program see the deferral application booklet here.
State Forests Listening Session for Lane County Residents: 2/6/24
State Forester Cal Mukumoto will be hosting a virtual listening session on February 6 for Lane County residents. The virtual listening session will start at 4 p.m. Advance registration is required and speakers will be called upon in the order they register. The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking that people register only if they are a Lane County resident. A Zoom link and other information on providing comment will be shared by email following registration. For those who don't want to comment but want to hear what others had to say, a recording of this virtual session — along with the one held earlier this week — will be posted to ODF's YouTube channel.
These listening sessions are an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts or concerns specific to recent new modeling information related to draft Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan (FMP) for 640,000 acres of state-managed forestlands in western Oregon. The Oregon Department of Forestry recently shared the results of new modeling estimates of long-term timber harvest, revenue, habitat, and carbon storage under the draft plans with the Board of Forestry. Mukumoto will consider the public's input when he makes his recommendation to the Board of Forestry on the path forward for finalization of both plans. More information on the listening sessions is provided on ODF's website.
Management of state forests is guided by forest management plans that are adopted by the Board of Forestry (OAR 629-035-0030). Forest management plans are designed to provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental outcomes that provide the greatest permanent value to all Oregonians (OAR 629-035-0020). The draft HCP is how ODF will ensure compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act while implementing the forest management plan. The current approach of compliance through avoidance is costly and complex. It also eventually results in limited habitat quality and durability, fewer acres available for harvest, greater legal risk, and less financial certainty. The HCP will support the overall goal of the updated FMP by improving certainty around both ESA compliance and timber harvests.
Scam Alert: Buying a New Home or Refinancing?
Buying a new home is exciting, but it can also be chaotic. Amid the stress and piles of paperwork is when fraudsters are most likely to strike and try to trick you into wiring money to their account.
Here's how the scam works: Sophisticated fraudsters send out phishing e-mails containing malware to real estate agents, employees of title and escrow agencies, or other real estate professionals like mortgage lenders. When the employees click on the links in those e-mails, it gives the scammer access to their e-mail accounts. Once inside the compromised email system, the hacker can read e-mails and get information about the upcoming sale. After determining the closing date, the scammer poses as the real estate agent or title company employee and sends an e-mail to the buyer. The phony e-mail tells the buyer there has been a change to the wire instructions and directs the buyer to wire the money to a different account (i.e., the hacker's account). The unsuspecting homebuyer then wires money for a down payment or closing costs to the fraudsters account. It may be a few hours or days before the victim realizes they were duped, and the money (and fraudsters) are long gone.
If you are in the process of buying a new home or refinancing the mortgage on your current home, review the following tips to keep you safe:
- Confirm all wiring instructions in-person. Meet with your real estate agent or title company representative to verify the account name and number where your money should be wired.
- If you are not able to meet your real estate agent or title company representative in person, call them at a known number to confirm the wire instructions before transferring any funds.
- Be suspicious of any email, text message, or telephone call telling you there has been a last-minute change to the wire instructions.
- E-mail is not secure. Do not ever include sensitive financial information in an email.
- Be cautious about opening attachments, clicking on links in an e-mail, and downloading files from emails, no matter who sent them. These files can contain malware and can weaken your computer security.
- Keep your operating system, browser, and security software on your computer up to date.
- If you suspect you wired money to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately and ask them to stop or reverse the wire transfer as soon as possible.
- After you've spoken to your financial institution, file reports as soon as possible with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center online at https://www.ic3.gov/, your local police department, and the Oregon Department of Justice online at www.oregonconsumer.gov.
For more information on how to stay safe from fraud, visit www.oregonconsumer.gov.
2024 "She Flies" Community Grant Application
Sport Oregon announced opening of its 2024 "She Flies" Community Grant cycle starting Wednesday, February 7, through the Sport Oregon Foundation. Grant-seeking organizations aligning with the She Flies mission and corresponding focus areas are encouraged to apply for 2024 grants at sheflies.org.
She Flies is the flagship initiative of the Sport Oregon Foundation, with a mission to connect girls and women across Oregon to sports, and to create inclusive communities through its programs, partnerships and networks. It aims to do so through three focus areas: keeping girls in the game, empowering women in coaching, and promoting fitness for life.
In 2022, She Flies awarded grants to six deserving groups, including Active Children Portland, The Children's Course, Hood River Outrigger Canoe Club, Ophelia's Place, the Rose City Rollers, and Skate Like a Girl. In 2023, She Flies built on that momentum by awarding nearly 500 percent more total funds to eight deserving nonprofits, including Adaptive Sports Northwest, Adelante Mujeres, Bridge City Soccer Academy, Elite Sports Academy, Friends of Baseball, Girls on the Run Greater Oregon, Portland Tennis & Education, and Special Olympics Oregon.
Thanks to a substantial financial commitment of $200,000 from Alaska Airlines in late 2022, Sport Oregon has been able to increase the amount awarded through the She Flies Community Grants program in 2023 and 2024.
The application period for this year's She Flies grants will end Friday, April 5 at 5 p.m., and applicants will be notified in early May. Sport Oregon will recognize the 2024 She Flies grant recipients during its annual fundraising gala. Fuel the Future benefiting She Flies and the Sport Oregon Foundation will take place on Friday, May 10. Funds will be distributed to grantees in June.
For more information on She Flies and additional events and activities on tap this year, go to she flies.org.
Downed Tree(s)? Donate as Firewood!
Community Supported Shelters will go out, cut up and haul away downed trees for use as firewood to heat their Safe Spot Communities. Each winter, they need about 80 cords of seasoned wood (both chopped and rounds). If you'd like to make a firewood donation, please call 541-683-0836 or e-mail office@cssoregon.org.
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