2015 State Legislative Agenda

Photo courtesy of Washington County Visitors Association

GuidinG PrinciPles To deliver public services effectively and efficiently

To remain accountable and responsive to the citizens

To make Oregon’s quality of life sustainable

Funding •Fundprogramscontributingtoahealthyeconomyandhigherqualityoflife,asexpressedin the State’s Strategic Vision.

•SupportStatefundingforprogramsdeliveredlocallythatrewardresults,efficiencyand effectiveness.

•Supportallocationofstatefundstolocalprogramsusingaproportionalformulabasedonthe taxesandfeespaidbycountyresidents.

•Fundgovernmentprogramsasaninvestmentstrategytoprovideanidentifiablereturnand preventtheneedformorecostlyremedialexpenditures.

•Fundgovernmentprogramswherethereisaclearpublicinterestbeingservedandnoviable private sector alternative is available.

•Supporteffortsthatseektobalancethedemandsofahealthyeconomyandenvironment using:Sustainablegrowth-managementstrategies;Disputeresolutionoptionsthatfacilitate outcome-basedcommunitysolutions;Publicandprivatepartnerships;and,Resultoriented investments in public facilities and services.

local control •Viewallpublicagenciesaspartnersinprovidingvaluedservicestocitizens.

•Supportlocalgovernments’abilitytodesign,fund,andimplementprogramsbasedonlocally determined needs and priorities.

•Opposeunfundedassignmentofnewprogramsorshiftsinserviceresponsibilities.

•Opposepreemption,limits,orgrantingofexemptionstolocaltaxsources.

•Preservelocalgovernments’abilitytooptoutofcommitmentstodeliverStateofOregon programserviceswhenfundingisreduced.

•Preservehistoricstaterevenuesharingagreementsandlocalgovernments’abilityto determinehowthesefundsareused.

ecOnOMic deVelOPMenT

•Gain-Share/Strategic Investment Program (SIP) – Support legislation that establishes along-termapproachtotheCounty’sinterestsandprovidesclarificationofgainshare continuity in the future.

•Industrial Land Development – Support legislative efforts that provide opportunities and incentives for development of employment areas.

•Brownfield infrastructure and reclamation – Support legislative efforts to apply incentives for local government infrastructure and business development.

lAnd use & urBAniZATiOn

•Urban and Rural Reserves – Support efforts to maintain rural and urban reserves described in HB 4078 (2014 session).

•HB 4078 Mapping errors–SupportLCDClegislativeconceptthatcorrectsmappingerrors identified in HB 4078 (2014 session).

•Minimum Lot Size–SupportLCDClegislativeconceptallowingcountiestocreateaparcel thatissmallerthanminimumsizestandardinresourcezoneforfarmorforestusewhenpart ofexistingunitoflandhasbeenincludedwithinurbangrowthboundarytobeplannedand zoned for urbanization.

TrAnsPOrTATiOn

•Transportation funding-Supportlegislativeeffortstofundstate-widetransportation investmentsincludingsupportofmultimodalprojects,publictransit,andfundingspecificfor enhancement and facility improvements.

•Drive Less Save More-Supportcontinuedfundingof“DriveLessSaveMore”programin OregonDepartmentofTransportation’sBudgetforthePortlandmetropolitanregion.

PuBlic sAFeTY

•Community Corrections Funding-Supportabudgetappropriationsufficienttoavoid triggeringthe“opt-out”provisionforcountiessupervising“localcontrol”offendersintheir CommunityCorrectionsProgram.

•HB 3194 fund savings – Support use of fund savings for reinvestment in Oregon’s community corrections and county jail infrastructure.

•Increased funding for Oregon’s Chief Justice–SupportOregon’sChiefJustice2015-17 budgetrequest.Thiswouldfundthreeadditionaljudgeshipsincludingonepositionin WashingtonCounty.

•Recreational and Medical Marijuana – Support efforts to maintain local control over recreationalandmedicalmarijuana(feeschedules,landuse,zoningregulations, disbursementofrevenues,etc.)

•Standards and Safety Training – Support funding of regional training programs and facilities.

•Statewide School Mapping–Supportfundingofstate-wideschoolmappingeffortand trainingtoaidinactive-threatresponsetoschools.

•Law Libraries–Supporteffortstoimprovelawlibraryservicedeliveryandfundingoptions that can stabilize program.

HOusinG

•EHA/SHAP Funding – Support funding increase to 2007 levels plus inflation for Emergency Housing(EHA)/StateHomelessAssistanceProgram(SHAP).Theseprogramsarecritical for resources that keep at risk Oregonians from being homeless by providing emergency funding.

•Expand OAHTC–SupportexpansionofmonetarycaponAffordableHousingTaxCredit (OAHTC)from$17Mto$40M.OAHTCprovidesessential“gap”fundingneededto“pencil out”newaffordablehousing.Withreductionsinotherfundingsourcesandincreasedcosts ofconstruction,thisincreaseinthestatetaxcreditprogramiscriticaltoaddressstatewide affordable housing gap.

•Oregon IDA Initiative Tax Credit Renewal–Supporteffortstoextendthetaxcredituntil 2022,raisethecapondonationsfrom$10millionto$25millionover6years,andexpand the asset class to build greater financial resilience.

•TANF/ERDC Funding–SupportfundingforTemporaryAssistanceofNeedyFamilies (TANF)/EmploymentRelatedDayCare(ERDC).TANFhelpsfamiliesmeettheirmostbasic needs,protectschildren,andhelpsparentsgetbacktoworkthroughemploymenttraining andsupportiveservices.ERDChelpsparentskeeptheircurrentemploymentandkeepskids safe in quality childcare settings.

•Develop a “housing lens”–SupportOHCSdevelopmentofa“housinglens”thatincludes acomprehensivestateplanforrespondingtotheneedsofverylow,low,andmoderate incomeOregoniansforhousingandservices,withthegoalofprovidingaffordablehousing.

reVenue And TAXATiOn

•Centralized assessment–OpposeeffortstochangeDOR’scentralassessmentstandard.

•Ballot Measure – Support legislation directing ballot measures and initiatives to be placed onnextavailablespringorfallelection.

•Property Tax Reform –SupportAOCandLOCeffortstore-establishvotercontrolfor referralspermittingtemporary,voter-approvedtaxincreasestobefullyimplementedoutside ofstatewidecompressioncaps.

HeAlTH And HuMAn serVices

•Coordinated Care Organization (CCO)–SupportcontinuedimplementationofCCO’s legislation to include retaining the county’s role in service delivery and receiving an equitable share of funding for service delivery.

•Mental Health–Supportcontinuedeffortsfordevelopingalong-termapproachtoserving mental health populations including funding for community mental health services to meet acuteandsub-acutepopulationsinordertoredirectthispopulationfromjailstocommunity mentalhealthserviceswhilepromotingpublicsafetyandindividualwell-being.

WOrKFOrce deVelOPMenT

•Back to Work Oregon – Support state funding of programs targeting Back to Work Oregon whichisfocusedonyouthemploymentandexistingworkerresources.

vGovernor’s budget request – w$10.9millioninpreviouslyapprovedfunds,repurposedtosupportlocalworkforce boardsandenhanceBacktoWorkOregon,NationalCareerReadinessCertificates (NCRC),andon-the-jobtrainingprograms. w$6milliontofundanOregonEmployerWorkforceTrainingprogramthatwillfund communityprojectstoaddressemployeetraining,retention,andadvancement. w$15millionforaYouthEmploymentprogramthatprovidesworkopportunitiesto Oregoniansbetween16and24yearsofage.

•Career and Technical Education – Support state and federal funding and program expansionofCareer&TechnicalEducation

CleanWaterServiceswillnotbeseekingspecificlegislationinthe2015legislativesession.

However,thestrategyseekstoanticipatelegislationthatmaysupportorimpedeourabilityto

accomplishkeyinitiatives,programsandprioritiesandworkaccordinglytomonitor,support,

shapeoropposebills.CleanWaterServiceshasworkedtoestablishcredibilitywithlegislators,

stateagencystaff,andkeystakeholdersinordertoserveasinformationandanalysisresources

for these groups.

cleAn WATer serVices 2015 OreGOn leGislATiVe AGendA

Photo courtesy of Washington County Visitors Association

2015 sTATe leGislATiVe AGendA—cleAn WATer serVices

•Oregon Department of Environmental Quality BudgetwMonitorDEQ’sbudgetrecommendationstoimproveOregon’swaterqualitythroughthe developmentofup-to-dateandconsistentpermitsandfeesthatensureallOregoniansare investingincleanwaterbyretainingpublicinvestmentinaneffectivepermitprogram.wSeekopportunitiestopartnerwithDEQonthedevelopmentandimplementationofwater qualityregulationstoensurethetimelyissuanceandrenewalofscientificallybased permits and policies. wMonitorproposedfeeincreasesorcost-sharingproposalstoensurefairnessandequality that produce meaningful improvements to Oregon’s environment and economic health.

•Integrated Water Resource ManagementwSupportproposalsthatadvanceIntegratedWaterResourceManagementprinciplesto meetthelong-termwaterneedsoflocalgovernments,agriculture,fish,andwildlife;and ensuretheefficientdeliveryofwaterinfrastructureprojects.wAddresslong-termwatersupplyneedsforplanningandfundingoffuturewater-use requirements,includingrecapitalizationoftheWaterConservation,ReuseandStorage grant program.

•Resource Recovery and RenewalwReuse&Biosolids -Supportcosteffectiveandsustainablemanagementofbiosolidsandwater reuse programs -Supportlegislationtoencouragethebroaderreuseofreclaimedwatertobalance Oregon’swaterneedsandleveragethestate’soverallstrategytomeetwaterquality standards.

wEnergy Efficiency and generation -Supportlocalgovernments’abilitytopurseenergyefficiencyandgenerationeffortsby continuingtoincentivizeinvestmentthroughmodificationandextensionofthebiomass taxcreditassociatedwithhighstrengthwastes. -MonitorCleanFuelsProgramtoensurepublicinvestmentsinenergygenerationand renewablenaturalgasareencouragedandsupported.

•Stormwater wMonitorlegislationrelatedtotheregulation,monitoringormanagementofmunicipal, urban,orindustrialstormwater.

•ContractingwAllowforpricecomparisonwhenprocuringservicesofarchitectsandengineersinorderto provide efficient use of ratepayer revenues.wPromoteefficientuseofstateandlocalgovernmentresources,maximizingtheeconomic investment in public contracting by fostering competition for goods and services in order toarriveatthebestvaluepurchasesthattakeintoconsiderationservice,qualityandprice.

•Green Infrastructure/Ecosystem Services: wSupport policies that quantify and value nature’s benefits in order to provide greater flexibilityandmoreoptionsforincreasingthescope,paceandeffectivenessofpublicand private conservation.

Adopted January 20, 2015 by Board of County Commissioners