Oregon Governor Tina Kotek laid out some of her budget priorities during a press conference looking forward to the February legislative short session. In a short 35-days, they are expected to take up legislation on housing, homelessness, addiction and public safety as top priorities.

Governor Kotek continues making affordable housing and homelessness the biggest spending program in known history. After Governors Brown and Kotek spent $1.3 billion since COVID on homeless programs, Oregon’s homeless increased 22% compare to a .3% national increase. In 2022 there were 17,959 homeless according to the 2023 US Department of Housing and Urban Development report. Oregon is now ranked fourth in the nation for homelessness, and recognized for free handouts and subsidies that draws the homeless from other states.

What started as $200 million this biennium has grown to over $450 million for the housing and homeless program. Now the Governor is requesting another $600 million tied to housing production. She set a goal of building 36,000 homes each year, nearly double the average number of homes built in Oregon in recent years. The state reports a need to build more than 550,000 homes in the next 20 years to make up for years of underbuilding and keep pace with population growth. However, Oregon’s population is shrinking at a rate of -0.38% growth rate due to outmigration of families and businesses, and deaths out rank births. That could have a dramatic effect on the economy.

The revenue forecast gave the Legislature $218 million more to spend, but according to the state economist, there is a short-term uncertain future of the nationwide economic expansion, which will derail expected tax collections in Oregon. But, never mind the details, Governor Kotek goes full steam ahead requesting legislation for more than $847.2 million that includes:

• $600 million for housing and homelessness.
• $65 million to keep existing homeless shelters open.
• $33 million for rent assistance to keep Oregonians who fall on tough times from losing their homes.
• $14 million supplemental funding for more homeless shelters, addiction treatment and childcare.
• $50 million to provide for summer learning this spring, which is far below the $240 million lawmakers approved in 2021 and the $150 million provided in 2022, with federal help. Voters passed lottery funding for summer programs expecting it to support the program. Lottery revenues went up significantly in 2022. Voters should ask for an audit to explain why the program is growing faster than funding.
• $59 million to maintain the state’s Employment Related Day Care program, which helps low-income families pay for child care. The program is facing a $123 million shortfall with a waitlist.
• $19 million for the Oregon Department of Transportation to schedule overtime and equipment to meet winter road maintenance needs. A large transportation funding package is expected in 2025, eight years after passing a $5.3 billion transportation package that was intended to cover needs for the next decade.
• Estimate of $7.25 million to Salem for untaxed state property within the city limits. The capital city faces an estimated $15 million budget shortfall by 2026.

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

In addition, Governor Kotek issued new remission orders that remove existing fines for more than 10,000 additional Oregonians who were omitted from Governor Brown’s 2022 remission orders. According to DMV Public Information Officer, the 2022 remissions order totaled $6 million from circuit court cases in Oregon. The total amount of unpaid fines and fees that was remitted from cases in Oregon municipal and justice courts is unknown because neither DMV nor Oregon Judicial Department has access to this information. These Oregonians now have no consequences for their misbehavior and what about the responsible citizens that paid their fines? To cover costs, will fees and fines be raised for those that do pay? How many won't pay in the future waiting for another remission order?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-12-07 10:40:53

Last Update: 2023-12-06 18:01:55