From LOC President Steve Callaway
To Our Members,
One of the most tumultuous and challenging legislative sessions in Oregon concluded this past weekend, and I wanted to take a moment to thank our 241 member cities for their extraordinary efforts to advocate for cities and home rule over the past five months.
It started on January 25 when 250 mayors, councilors, and city staff from across Oregon, representing every LOC region statewide, assembled at the Salem Convention Center on January 25 for “City Day at the Capitol.” During those one-on-one visits with your legislators, a message was first sent that cities are present and engaged, and city leaders will go the distance to advocate for their communities.
Time and again during the session, elected city leaders and city staff enthusiastically answered the call to help our LOC lobby team advocate for our top eight legislative priorities, which you as LOC members helped to set.
This was demonstrated most powerfully during the final days of the session, when LOC members responded to action alerts, reached out and lobbied their legislators, and helped the LOC achieve several key policy initiatives, including:
HB 2009
A key element of the semiconductor package was securing sunset extensions for Oregon’s most significant economic development tools: SIP-Gainshare and enterprise zones for rural and urban communities. In addition, a tax credit for research and development is a crucial component. While not ideal, all three of these incentives moved forward with this legislation.
HB 3201
This bill aligns state statute to maximize Oregon’s ability to capture federal broadband funding. It provides the necessary flexibility and alignment to ensure cities can take full advantage of $689 million in broadband funding from the federal government.
HB 2095
It may have taken multiple sessions, but we were successful in extending fixed and mobile photo radar authority to all cities. In addition, flexibility was added to local speed setting authorities, which will now allow up to a 10-mph adjustment to local street speed.
HB 3013
This bill would have added a surcharge on every member prescription. CIS estimated annual costs of $5 million. HB 3013 lost by one vote on the Senate floor during the last couple of hours of the session largely due to the persistence and involvement from LOC members.
As your LOC Board President, I want to thank and acknowledge each and every one of our member cities for their fantastic advocacy work during this long legislative session – your efforts truly made a difference! Please remember to stay in touch with legislators as they host town halls and attend summer events. These are great ways to keep that engagement going!
- LOC President Steve Callaway, Mayor, Hillsboro
Last Updated 6/27/23