Friends and Neighbors,

Here are some highlights from the past week and helpful community information for you! 

 - Shelly

HOUSE REPUBLICANS ANNOUNCE TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL THAT PROTECTS FAMILIES

FROM COST OF LIVING INCREASES, STABILIZES ODOT

On Wednesday, House Republicans and I rolled out a transportation proposal to cut and reprioritize funding within the Oregon Department of Transportation. Instead of looking first to take more from Oregonians by raising their taxes, we went through ODOT's budget with a fine-tooth comb. We looked for efficiency and programs that are outside of their core mission of paving roads and maintaining bridges. We laid out 25 steps we can take to save ODOT over $730 million - more than enough to cover what ODOT says it needs - without raising taxes. 

For years, ODOT has funded ideas instead of infrastructure. Our plan protects Oregon families from more tax increases by requiring ODOT to cut wasteful spending that does not align with core function, sideline spending on non-essential programs and divisive agendas, protect federal transportation funding, and preserve critical road safety services.

Watch the entire press conference here.

Proposed Cuts to ODOT’s biennial budget for 2025-2027 include:

• Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF): $306.7 million

  • The STIF is primarly funded by a .1% tax on Oregonian's wages to fund public transportation. The Oregonian recently published a story about TriMet’s - the state's largest transit agency - ongoing death spiral. According to the Cascade Policy Institute, since 2015, the agency’s annual revenue from passenger fares has dropped from $117 million to $59 million, while operating expenses have grown. As a result, TriMet’s operating loss last year was $850 million.
  • TriMet, and other transit agencies, are begging state legislators to increase your taxes at a time when less and less people are using public transportation. TriMet ridership has plummeted since 2019 and is providing about 30 million fewer rides each year than it did in 2019 and post-pandemic recovery is slowing. 

• Reallocate Vacancies: $68.3 million

• Lease Unused Office Space at ODOT Headquarters: $55.9 million

• • This is what ODOT headquarters in Salem looks like. Five floors of mostly vacant office space. 40 percent of the workforce is remote.
  • Our proposal to cut wasteful spending includes leasing 70,000 square feet of the T-Building, which would free up approx. $55.9 million per biennium and refocus it towards highway infrastructure. Watch the entire video of the vacant space in the Transportation building here.

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Program: $47 million

• 3% Agency Staff: $40 million

• Passenger Rail: $38 million

• Vehicle Privilege Tax: $35 million

• Social Equity and Civil Rights Division: $24.9 million

  • The federal government recently reminded states of their responsibility to enforce federal law and reiterated that states that do not comply with federal law could have their transportation funding revoked. In response, the Port of Portland revoked their discriminatory DEI policies. By cutting the DEI division within ODOT, Republicans are trying to preserve federal funding. Oregonians deserve their federal tax dollars to be returned to benefit Oregon, not put at risk by progressive ideologies.

In contrast, the Democrats’ plan adds a dozen new taxes, tax hikes, and fee increases that expand current non-essential spending that Oregonians simply cannot afford. Their plan will make it more expensive for families to drop their kids off at school, drive to work, and pick up groceries, while snubbing Oregonians’ call for accountability.

Their plan rewards an agency riddled with mismanagement, billion-dollar budget woes, and broken promises. As noted by the Oregonian Editorial Board in April, “burdening Oregonians with nearly $2 billion in new taxes while adopting policies that inflate costs for the benefit of longtime Democratic donors is flatly unconscionable.”

We reject the premise that if we don't make life more expensive for Oregonians, we can't fix potholes, plow the snow, or keep rural roads safe. Keeping our roads drivable and safe must be the Oregon Department of Transportation’s top priority.

House Republicans are responding to Oregonians who are increasingly frustrated by the cost of living and want to see their state government deliver and maintain safe roads for them. This proposal is an opportunity to be responsive to the needs of our state, hold government accountable, and set a clear vision for the role of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

As part of the proposal, Republicans have identified fixing the unconstitutional tax collection of Oregon truckers as a top priority. This week, the State Economist released revised numbers that decrease trucker's overpayment from 37% to 26% after they identified big errors in their math. That's still a massive overpayment. Imagine if you overpaid your income tax by 25%? Now, there are several ways to fix this imbalance. The state economists' idea is to raise the gas tax by 6 cents and decrease taxes on truckers by 20%. Our plan doesn't propose increasing taxes, but instead decreasing trucker taxes and making up the rest with cuts to the agency.

CONGRESS TAKES FIRST STEP

TOWARD REPEALING CLEAN TRUCKS RULES

This week, Congress passed HR 87, a bill that repeals recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waivers that allowed states to adopt Califoria's Advanced Clean Truck mandates and other engine rules. I was thankful that Rep. Cliff Bentz represented Oregon common sense by being the lone Oregon congressional delgate to vote in favor of the bill.

While I continue to advocate for Oregon to delay our rules, this is a welcomed first step to bringing nation-wide certainty back to the commercial engine market. I hope the US Senate quickly acts to pass this bill.

Oregon DEQ is holding public hearing on their permanent ACT rules this upcoming Tuesday, May 6 at 2 PM. To attend and give live comments, join via Zoom on Tuesday, no need to pre-register. You can also call in by using this number: 888-475-4499, toll-free in the U.S. Meeting ID: 868 0025 2323.
Passcode: 184168

You can also submit written comments through Wednesday, May 7 at 4 PM by clicking this link.

DATA SHOWS OREGON ON PACE TO MEET LESS THAN

ONE-THIRD OF GOVERNOR’S

ANNUAL HOUSING PRODUCTION GOAL THIS YEAR

New data shows residential housing permits in Oregon have been declining each year since Governor Tina Kotek took office in 2023.

Despite setting a statewide housing goal of 36,000 units a year, only 17,697 residential permits were issued in 2023. That number dropped to 14,270 residential permits in 2024. Through February of 2025, only 1,864 residential permits were issued, putting Oregon on track to issue a total of 11,184 residential permits in 2025.

Oregon House Production

Another study released this week gave Oregon an F for housing affordability, ranking it 45th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The numbers don’t lie. Governor Kotek’s housing policies are deepening the housing crisis, erasing Oregon’s identity, and blocking more families from achieving their dreams of owning a home. 

To make matters worse, a new OHA program meant to help low-income people and their families stay housed has devolved into a "bureaucratic nightmare," leading to a wave of evictions.

UNEMPLOYMENT PAY FOR STRIKING WORKERS GETS HEARING IN HOUSE COMMITTEE

On March 20, Senate Bill 916 narrowly passed out of the Senate with 16 aye votes — two Democrats joined Republicans in voting no. SB 916 would allow striking employees to be eligible for unemployment benefits. If this bill passes, workers in both the private and public sectors will be able to start collecting unemployment pay after two weeks of being on strike. 

The bill received a public hearing on April 30 and now sits in the House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards waiting for a work session. If SB 916 passes, Oregon would be the second state to enact a law like this, just behind Washington State, which passed it last week and is now sitting on the Governor's desk waiting to be signed. But even Washington Democrats recognized some limits that Oregon Democrats have not. In Washington, public employees cannot legally strike and Washington's law only covers legal strikes. Oregon would be alone in paying public employees to strike.

The other major difference is that Washington caps UI benefits for striking workers at six weeks. SB 916 has no cap, so an employee could get up to 26 weeks of UI benefits for striking.

The unemployment trust fund is intended to support employees who tragically lose employment and need support while they exist in limbo between jobs. This fund is paid into by employers, not employees. The argument against this bill is simple: it’s just not fair to the thousands of small businesses not connected to the labor dispute who are now footing the bill.

The Oregonian Editorial Board wrote a scathing editorial condemning the bill early March. 

MORE INCOMPETENCE FROM OREGON BUREAUCRATS

Oregon DEQ has been reeling from a cyberattack that took place a couple of weeks ago. OPB just reported that earlier in April, they sent out an email that was infected with a "dangerous" link out to members of the public, but it has yet to warn those who received that email that the link poses risks to their cybersecurity. 

The agency still has not confirmed the cause of the cyberattack that forced it to temporarily shutter many of its regulatory services.

Lawmakers Spar With BOLI Over Wages on Housing Jobs

A spirited dialogue continues between two state lawmakers, Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City) and Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville), and the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries over the agency’s prevailing wage determinations for subsidized affordable housing developments. After an Oregon Journalism Project report on whether such determinations are unnecessarily adding substantial costs to such projects, the lawmakers wrote to BOLI Commissioner Christina Stephenson asking her to use her statutory discretion to reduce such costs. Stephenson replied that her agency’s determinations correctly followed Oregon law.

Judge allows removal of homeless campers in national forest outside Bend to proceed

A group of homeless campers who have come to call a portion of the Deschutes National Forest home are set to be evicted Thursday after a federal judge denied a request for a temporary restraining order. The group, which originally numbered close to 200, was first notified in January that the area of the forest in which they’ve been living would be closed for restoration May 1. More than 100 have since left, but a group of 60 to 80 remain and are uncertain exactly what to expect as the deadline looms, said Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the Washington D.C.-based National Homelessness Law Center.

Electricity demand in Northwest could double in next 20 years, forecast finds

Demand for electricity in the Northwest could double by 2046, according to a new energy forecast from regional experts. Over the next two decades, demand could increase by between 1.8% and 3.1% annually, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council heard Tuesday. The projected growth will come primarily from companies building more data centers in the region, more electric vehicles on roads, electrifying buildings, computer chip manufacturing and the production of “green hydrogen” created by running an electrical current through water to split the molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

Join me at the Y for the Ken Davis Golf Classic!

From our friends at the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA:

Join us for the Ken Davis Golf Classic on Friday, July 11th, proudly presented by Davis Glass!

We’re honoring the life and legacy of Ken Davis—a beloved father, father-in-law (mine), friend, and community champion—with a fun-filled day on the course. Ken’s dedication to youth, families, and the well-being of our community lives on through this special event. All proceeds benefit the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA, supporting vital programs that continue the work Ken cared so deeply about.

The Ken Davis Golf Classic includes:

• 4-person team scramble tournament
• KP Contest
• Long Drive Contest
• Raffle

Entry Fee: $500 per team (includes a player bag and one raffle ticket per person). For more details and to register, visit this link. We’d love to have you join us in celebrating Ken’s memory and making a difference in the community he loved.

Albany Road Closure:

ROAD CLOSURE! Canby Excavating will perform road construction requiring a temporary road closure on Lochner Road between 34th Avenue and Ellingson Road starting on Monday, May 5. Detour signage will be in place, and emergency vehicles will retain access during the project. Work is expected to be complete by Friday, August 29, 2025.

If you have specific questions regarding this closure, contact Public Works Engineering at 541-917-7676 during regular business hours.

From our friends at the Albany Police Department:

The Albany Police Department is hosting a one-day Youth Academy exclusively for high school students on Saturday, May 10, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. This exciting, hands-on event offers a behind-the-scenes look at what police officers really do, featuring activities like VR scenario training, K-9 demonstrations, undercover drug detective insights, and a chance to test your speed with a taser simulation. Participants will also explore topics like reaction vs. action and learn the meaning behind acronyms like DUII and DRE, and get a shot to try to catch a ball wearing drunk goggles. Best of all, the event is totally free and includes donuts and lunch. Albany residents will be given first preference. Learn more and register at this link here!

From our friends at Albany Parks and Rec:

Fun times at Camp Albany are quickly approaching! Summer is the perfect time for kids to grow and try new things, and Camp Albany provides the ideal setting for both! Each week features a unique theme, with activities like STEM, art, group games, and free play, ensuring every day is different and exciting. Our energetic staff creates a positive environment where campers can play, learn, and socialize, making every day an adventure to remember!

Register online here or by calling 541-917-7777.

Need financial assistance for Camp Albany? Scholarships are available for qualifying families! Apply online today to see if you qualify.

During the 2025 legislative session my office will continue to keep you updated and informed - and is always at your service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any community event announcements, legislative questions, or concerns.

Talk soon,

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis

Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
To contact me, please click here: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov