Eight Democrat Oregon Legislators travel to Washington DC to boost about why Oregon is one of the highest taxed states in the nation. They joined state leaders across the country at the White House to discuss how federal dollars are being put to good use. Because of historic legislation like the American Rescue Plan Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS & Science Act, Oregon legislators have been able to create more good paying jobs, strengthen the state’s infrastructure, support small businesses.

Representative David Gomberg (D-Lincoln & Western Benton/Lane Counties) gives credit to Oregon’s recovery to federal dollars “helping us build back better and stronger. Projects in rural and coastal Oregon like the replacement of the Newport Dam in my district are going to revitalize our infrastructure, create jobs, and keep our economy strong.”

Senator Wlnsvey Campos (D-Aloha, Beaverton & South Hillsboro) says partnering with the Biden-Harris Administration is “empowering Oregonians to be more competitive in the 21st Century economy with access to broadband, expansion in the semiconductor industry, opportunity in green energy, and support for our small businesses.”

Does Campos not remember passing HB 4092 (2022) costing Oregonians $200 million in order to receive $100 million in federal help from the American Rescue Plan Act? And, in a special session, SB 1603 (2020) transferred $5 million from the Oregon Business Development Department each year to develope rural broadband. It passed without a 2/3 vote adding a tax surcharge to cell phone bills after the Emergency Board allocated $20 million to broadband.

House Bill 3201 enabled Oregon to receive an award of over $156 million to expand broadband infrastructure across the state through the American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund. This will secure high-speed internet access to an estimated 17,000+ new locations in the state, helping to connect rural and low-income communities with critical services like telehealth, jobs, education, and more. Criticism of the bill exposed the lack of funds being distributed equitably to rural areas having conflicting maps. Representative Anna Scharf (R-Polk) says “federal maps are based on carrier information not independent research, and the State of Oregon map is based on a survey.” Some local counties have done their own mapping. “This bill excludes locally collected data, which is the most accurate data available.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The semiconductor bill, SB 4 Oregon CHIPS Act, allocated $210 million. The biggest share, $190 million, pays for grants and loans for semiconductor companies competing for $53 billion in federal funding to expand in Oregon. Added to that, Governor Kotek provided $1 million to help small and mid-size firms prepare applications for federal funding. Oregon already employs 40,000 in the semiconductor industry, third in the nation with 15% of the nation’s semiconductor workforce. Oregonians should anticipate more legislation for companies to conduct research and development.

The group also praised $500 million available to K-12 schools to upgrade their HVAC systems, assess ventilation systems, place carbon dioxide monitors in each classroom, and submit a report on ventilation and carbon dioxide levels to a mechanical engineer for review. Districts will then implement any improvements recommended by the engineer. However, the legislature passed HB 3031 despite disagreement with unions on making it a fair process for HVAC businesses. The requirement for trained agents in order to contract directs the business to metropolitan areas and makes it difficult, if not impossible, for rural contractors to bid on projects in their own area, said Representative Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville).

Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association’s PNWH2 Hub was selected as one of the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs following a competitive nationwide process. The PNWH2 Hub will span across Oregon, Washington, and Montana, and will leverage the abundant clean power and innovative technology companies in the Pacific Northwest to accelerate the transition to clean hydrogen production and use. The hub’s projects will drive economic opportunity and are expected to create over 10,000 good paying jobs. No study has been made on the cost to residence to convert away from natural gas and fossil fuels. But if the federal government is providing fund, then surely it be good.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-11-02 17:29:31

Last Update: 2023-11-02 18:37:43