|
Replies to this message are sent to an unmonitored mailbox.
To contact me, please click here: Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Fall is in the air! Kids are back in school, family vacations are now fond memories, and many of us are settling back into our routines after a beautiful Oregon Summer.
Earlier this month, the Legislature convened for a Special Session on transportation funding. While I believe it is critical that we invest in safe and reliable transportation infrastructure, I remain concerned about placing additional tax burdens on hardworking Oregonians. Our roads and bridges need attention, but we must ensure that every dollar is used responsibly, and that Salem is accountable for how taxpayer money is spent. I will share more about the special session below.
Looking ahead, interim committees will meet next week. These meetings give legislators an opportunity to take a closer look at important issues and prepare for the 2026 Short Session. I’ll be keeping a close eye on the policies that impact public safety, veterans and our economy. These are the areas where I believe Oregon needs strong, practical leadership.
I have had the opportunity to attend several community events this summer, and I continue to be encouraged by the strength and resilience of my constituents. Your input is invaluable, as we head into the months ahead.
Thank you for staying connected, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be of assistance. It is an honor to serve you, and I’ll continue working to ensure that state government remains accountable and focused on commonsense solutions.
Sincerely,
 Rick Lewis
State Representative
House District 18
Oregon’s Christmas Tree District
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1418
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-385, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lewis
In this Issue:
View previous newsletters here.
On Labor Day weekend, while Oregonians were out celebrating the fruits of their labor, the Governor compelled the legislature to convene a Special Session aimed to spend more of your hard-earned dollars.
On September 1st, HB 3991 the Governor’s Transportation Funding bill came before the House for a floor vote. House Republicans offered commonsense solutions that prioritize road maintenance and safety – without raising taxes, yet these proposals fell on deaf ears. Ultimately, two amendments were adopted mid-way through the session that reduced the taxpayer burden from $5.8 billion to $4.3 billion. The first amendment provided a sunset on the payroll tax after two years. The second amendment prevents the Department of Administrative Services from raising the gas tax without legislative approval.
HB 3991 unfortunately passed. During the floor debate, I expressed my opposition to the bill by speaking out against it. You can watch a replay of my floor speech here.
I shared that in 2017, when the legislature passed HB 2017, I was told it would fund transportation for the “foreseeable future”. I was also told that the bill would require electric vehicle (EV) owners to pay their fair share of transportation costs, and that it would provide the necessary funding for major road projects such as the Abernethy Bridge and the I-5 Rose Quarter. Yet these projects have not been completed – nearly a decade later and at significant cost increases.
Here we are, less than a decade later… I should have asked for a definition of foreseeable future. In fact, it wasn’t until late last year in the Road User Fee Task Force that there was an acknowledgement that EV owners had never paid their fair share. Yet, this transportation funding bill, HB 3991, still doesn’t create equity. Those who operate vehicles other than electric vehicles are not being treated equitably. If they were, EV owners would be paying more to off-set the nearly 10 years that non-EV owners have been subsidizing EV owners’ share of highway costs. I am not convinced in my reading of HB 3991 that EV owners will be paying an equitable amount even with the bill’s passage. I see nothing that would end tax credits for the purchase of an EV – a vehicle which, by the way, is beyond the ability of most families to afford. I see nothing that would require EV owners to pay for the additional damage to our roadways due to their weight in comparison to other vehicles.
There is little doubt that we need to find solutions to transportation funding. We are not the only state dealing with this problem. But if we are going to do this right, it cannot be done in a vacuum with only the majority party being at the table to the exclusion of the minority party. The minority party should have been included from the onset in these discussions. All voices deserve to be heard, and all positions need to be given thoughtful consideration. One party rule doesn’t work when it comes to something as important to all of Oregon as transportation. There is a lesson to be learned here.
In conclusion, I cast a firm “NO” vote. We need to get this right, and this bill doesn’t accomplish that.
The voices of Oregonians throughout our communities and around the state have spoken loudly in opposition to this unreasonable tax hike. Out of more than 5,000 pieces of written testimony submitted to the Legislature, 4,836 were in opposition and just 263 were in support. That’s 95% of those testifying opposed. An interactive map made available by Senate Republicans, for visualization can be found here.
The bill moved to the Senate where it has been stalled to allow Senator Gorsek time to recover from medical complications that prevented him from being present to vote earlier this month. While I pray for the Senator’s complete and speedy recovery, delaying the vote when the Senate has a quorum to conduct business simply reinforces the fact that one-party rule carries the day. It is anticipated that the Senate will pick up the bill on Monday, September 29th.
|
On August 27th, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis released the September revenue forecast. The report highlights the uncertainty in Oregon’s economy as families and businesses continue to manage higher costs and slower growth. This is exactly why we need to budget responsibly, limit unnecessary spending, and focus on core services like public safety, schools, and support for our most vulnerable. Oregonians cannot afford new taxes or bigger government when many are already stretched thin. I have cautioned for several years that the time would come when revenues would decline and the many social programs that have been created with no long-term sustainable funding stream would be on the table for cuts. That time has come. Government has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 25 years. When revenues decline, government is faced with a choice – cut unsustainable programs or raise taxes to pay for them. As we raise taxes and take more and more income away from families, the need for more government subsidies increases in order to compensate. It becomes a vicious cycle, and it creates a tremendous burden on families that likely could have taken care of their own family needs themselves had it not been for the reduction in take-home pay as a result of higher taxes.
These forecasts are an important budgeting tools for the legislature. I will continue to advocate for fiscal discipline and policies that give relief to working families and strengthen our economy. Links to the forecast details are provided below:
August 27, 2025, Economic and Revenue Forecast
Tune in for Legislative Interim Committee days on Monday, September 29 - October 1st. This is the first of three scheduled Legislative Interim Committee days to take place before the 2026 Session. During these days, committees hold informational hearings on topics that could lead to legislation in upcoming session, hear updates on implementations of past legislation, and receive reports from state agencies.
I serve on the following committees:
Click on the links above to follow along and see what’s happening in my committees.
Oregon’s next legislative session is a short session that convenes on February 2, 2026. You can access the legislative calendar for important dates here.
Summer has drawn to a close and the school bells are ringing once again. I want to take a moment to wish all of our students, parents, teachers, and school staff a wonderful start to the new school year.
Here in House District 18, our schools are the heart of our communities. From the first day of kindergarten to high school graduation, each year is an opportunity for learning, growth, and building lifelong friendships.
This season is also a time for all of us to look out for one another, especially as more children are walking, biking, and riding busses to and from school. Please remember to slow down in school zones and be mindful of the extra activity in our neighborhoods.
I look forward to seeing the great things our students will accomplish this year and remain committed to supporting policies that improve the quality of education, establish benchmarks to improve Oregon schools, support home schooling and strengthen our schools to ensure every child has the resources they need to thrive. Here’s to a safe, successful, and inspiring school year ahead!
| 
