2019 Legislative Priorities
The LOC’s priorities and our theme in the Legislature in 2019 is “Let Cities Work.” This theme symbolize how the LOC speaks with one voice for all cities in the Legislature to preserve home rule.
Mental Health Investment
The LOC will advocate for adequate resources to protect and enhance the services available to keep persons suffering from mental health issues from going into crisis.
Revenue Reform & Cost Containment
The LOC recognizes that Oregon faces fiscal challenges at both the state and local government levels. Cost increases are outpacing revenues, even in a healthy economy. Revenue reform and cost containment necessarily must go hand-in-hand. The LOC will insist upon the inclusion of two items in any package undertaken by the Legislature: property tax reform and PERS reform.
Revenue Reform/Cost Containment White Paper
Housing & Homelessness Improvement
The LOC will work to increase the technical assistance programs and resources available from the state directed at long-term housing planning and development site readiness programs. In addition, there need to be investments from the state in programs that assist homeless persons into temporary and permanent housing, housing development for low income and moderate income housing, and infrastructure to service housing.
Infrastructure Finance & Resilience Investment
The LOC will work during the 2019 legislative session to maximize both the amount of public infrastructure funding and the flexibility of funds available to better meet the immediate and long-term needs of cities across the state.
Broadband Investment & Right-of-Way Authority Preservation
The LOC will continue opposing legislation that challenges or preempts local authority to manage public right of ways and cities’ ability to set rates and receive compensation for the use of these right of ways. This applies to existing technology, as well as the deployment of new small cell and 5G technology. In addition, the LOC will seek additional state support and funding for increased and equitable broadband infrastructure deployment, especially in rural areas, while opposing any legislative efforts restricting municipal authority to provide their own broadband services.
Third Party Building Inspection Preservation
The LOC will clarify the ability of local government programs to use private-party building officials and building inspectors to service local building inspection programs, including recognizing that specialized inspectors can to perform specialized inspections.
Other Legislative Policies
Oregon Municipal Policy (OMP) - The OMP is one of the LOC's foundational documents and describes policy stances adopted by the League's membership.
2019 LOC Policy Committee Priorities - Before long sessions, each policy committee comes up with priorities in a certain topic area. Those dozens of topics go to cities to vote on the top priorities for a legislative session. While we name a list of top priorities adopted by the LOC Board of Directors, our team also still works on the policy committee priorities.