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To contact me, please click here: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Friends and Neighbors,
Upcoming Events
Virtual Community Conversation - Thursday, Sept 19th
Join me online, Thursday, September 19th, from 6:00pm - 7:00pm, for a Community Conversation. Come share your thoughts and questions and meet fellow community members. I look forward to seeing you there.
Use this link to join: Join the meeting now. The virtual meeting platform is Microsoft Teams. Please keep in mind, if you have not used MS Teams before, you may need a couple extra minutes to get set up.
Legislative Updates
September 2024 Revenue Forecast Summary
Oregon’s economy is strong because of hardworking Oregonians. We have to keep Oregon growing to make our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family, while being smart and focused with Oregonians’ hard-earned tax dollars, in order to deliver the results we need on our most urgent priorities. We must prioritize targeted investments in homelessness, affordable housing, schools, and fixes to the drug crisis. We also need to take a look at the underlying factors that create a strong, fair economy, including workforce training and childcare. We must continue to be responsible stewards of tax dollars to maintain stability given uncertainty of future forecasts.
Revenue Outlook
2023-25 Net General Fund resources are up $675.5 million from the June 2024 forecast. The 2023-25 General Fund ending balance is now $1,840.6 million versus June’s projected ending balance of $1,165.1 million. Lottery revenue for the 2023-25 biennium is down $0.6 million from the June 2024 forecast.
Reserve accounts are currently at $899.8 million (Education Stability Fund) and $1,692.3 million (Rainy Day Fund). The projected ending balances for the 2023-25 biennium reserve account are as follows: Education Stability Fund: $1,006.9 million and Rainy Day Fund: $1,899.4 million. The Rainy Day Fund is projected to receive $329 million following the end of the 2023-2025 Biennium.
Kicker Outlook
A personal kicker of $987 million is projected for 2025. Corporate tax revenue of $882.8 million is projected to be dedicated to K-12 education spending in 2025-2027.
OEA Economic Outlook
The economy has transitioned out of the inflationary economic boom and into what will hopefully become a sustained expansion. So far the Federal Reserve appears to be threading the needle. High interest rates were needed when inflation was running near double-digit rates, but no longer. The key will be when, and how quickly the Fed adjusts course. Expectations are interest rate cuts will begin next month. This should stabilize and revive rate-sensitive parts of the economy in the year ahead. The labor market is expected to improve as well following the past year where slower hiring has led to a rising unemployment rate, despite layoffs remaining low. While imminent recession fears appear misplaced, the longer high interest rates remain, the probability of recession rises as economic growth slows. Getting a read on the current state of Oregon’s economy is challenging. Over the entire cycle to date, Oregon’s economic performance has been solid. Employment gains, income growth, and population change are all roughly in the middle of the pack across all states, but a bit below the typical state. For now, the economic forecast remains essentially unchanged compared to recent outlooks. Both personal and corporate income taxes have come in noticeably higher than the previous forecast.
OEA Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) Projections
According to the September 2024 outlook, the corporate activity tax is expected to generate around $2.8 billion during the current 2023-25 biennium. Strong consumer spending and the inflationary environment have both played roles in the large amount of collections. Given the lack of historical experience, the outlook for the corporate activity tax remains uncertain. However, since the CAT is a tax on consumption, collections will prove to be less volatile than Oregon’s dominant income taxes over time. The baseline outlook for tax liability is currently based on expected output growth across various industries as well as growth in consumer spending. So far, CAT tax collections have outpaced such measures of underlying economic activity. The CAT outlook is lowered $24.6 million (-0.9%) in the current 2023-25 biennium compared to the previous forecast.
Forecast Documents
https://www.oregon.gov/das/oea/pages/forecastecorev.aspx
Out and About in Senate District 15
Willamette Career Academy - Dental Sciences Ribbon Cutting
Yesterday I attended the Ribbon Cutting and Open House for the new Dental Sciences program at Willamette Career Academy. It was exciting to see the project's completion after visiting earlier this year, when the work was just beginning. This program will be another great opportunity for high school students in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties to come learn a skill that propels their pathway forward and sets them up for future success with a living wage job. A big thank you to the Spencer Family Foundation for their dedication to students and their support of this program.
Learn more about Willamette Career Academy and all the programs they offer here.
A Better Red - MAX Red-Line Expansion to Hillsboro
This week we celebrated TriMet's red-line expansion from Hillsboro to the PDX Airport. It was a great day for public transportation and a win for travelers, workforce, recreational riders and the environment. Adding this one-seat ride makes the Max more efficient and accessible for us all. This project is another great example of the Biden/Harris administration getting America working on infrastructure projects.
Mobile School Based Health Center at Hillsboro High School
In 2021, Representative Rachel Prusak and I passed a bill (HB 2591) that created a pilot program to explore mobile school-based health center opportunities for school districts. This week, we honored the opening of a mobile unit at Hillsboro High School. Congratulations to the Hillsboro School District for providing more accessible healthcare options for students, staff and community, and a big thank you to all of partners in this work who made this possible.
Senate District 15 - Small Business Spotlight
Sundial Baking
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Sundial Baking in Forest Grove serves up delicious and beautiful baked goods. I have visited their booth at local farmers markets. Follow them on social media here to see where they will next pop up and email here for inquiries. |
Intern Corner
Gabby Giffords grew up in Arizona and took over her family businesses, El Campo Tire Warehouses. In 2000, she was elected to the Arizona State Legislature where she served for 5 years, spending 3 years of those years as the youngest woman to ever be elected to the Arizona State Senate. From there, Arizona elected Giffords the US House of Representatives in 2006.
On January 8, 2011, during a public constituent gathering in Tucson, Arizona, shots were fired through the air. In an assassination attempt on Gabby Gifford’s life, six people were killed and twelve, including Giffords, were injured. This bullet almost killed Giffords and changed her life forever. She stepped down from her position in Congress in order to focus on the long road of recovery from her severe brain injury. She worked tirelessly to regain the ability to speak and walk. In 2013, she founded a gun violence prevention organization called Giffords that has fought against gun violence across the country. In 2022, Giffords was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden for her work against gun violence. She also co-founded Friends of Aphasia, an organization to raise awareness of the communication disorder that she suffers from as a result of the shooting.
On August 22, 2024, Giffords took the national stage at the Democratic National Convention and shared her story with gun violence and her road to recovery, rallying Americans to support gun reform.
~Anna Kappler
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Community Outreach
Back to School Reminder
As students across Oregon return to school this week and next, remember to use extra caution when driving. Slow down for school zones and approach crosswalks with awareness. Wishing all of our students and families a wonderful new school year.
FINAL Flicks at the Park in Cornelius
Shared from City of Cornelius
Get ready for our FINAL Flicks at the Park at Harleman Park (795 S. Heather, Cornelius, OR 97113) tomorrow, August 30th!
7:30 PM: Dive into the fun with our character scavenger hunt!
9:00 PM: Movie time under the stars!
We’ve got FREE popcorn and super cool swag for you, hint hint: We will shine bright in the dark!
Can't wait to see you there!
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¡Prepárate para el ULTIMO Peliculas en el Parque en Harleman Park (795 S. Heather, Cornelius, OR 97113) mañana, 30 de Agosto!
7:30 PM: ¡Sumérgete en la diversión con nuestra búsqueda de personajes!
9:00 PM: ¡Hora de película bajo las estrellas!
Tenemos palomitas GRATIS y regalos súper cool para ti, pista pista: ¡Brillaremos en la oscuridad!
Additional Resources
Senate District 15 – Event Calendars
Federal Delegation Links
Education Links
Food and Housing Assistance
Enjoy the long weekend, as we celebrate Labor Day. A day for us to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, economy and well-being.
 Be good to yourself and each other. ❤
Onward & Upward,
 Senate District 15 lies on Kalapuya land. The Atfalati were the northernmost band of the Kalapuya that lived along the Tualatin River in present day Washington County. Many of the Atfalati descendants are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon today. The Indigenous Peoples of this land experienced a painful history of colonial violence, sickness and removal from their land. The Atfalati are the foundation of Oregon's past and we must honor them well into our future.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1715
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-207, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.JaneenSollman@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/sollman
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