Legislative Matters
OEDA 2008 Resolution
Funding at 2008 Legislative Session for Regional Investment in Communities
In support of recommendations for support funding to improve tools required to sustain and build our communities and businesses. [more]
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OEDA Members:
The 2007 Regular Session of the Oregon Legislature brought some dramatic changes in program funding appropriated or authorized to the Oregon Economic and Community Development Departments.
Some of OEDA top priorities this session were overlooked in favor of other funding priorities.
While OECDD was held at current service level funding the Legislature did not fund the following top priorities in the Governor's recommendation: $100 million infrastructure capitalization, $15 million for workforce training, $11 million for Regional/Rural, $10 million for Strategic Reserve and $2 million for Branding/Marketing.
Oregon InC received $5.25 million, Workforce Training received $1.5 million and the Regional/Rural boards received $2 million.
Accompanying this report is a detailed budget summary.
Noteworthy statutory changes:
- Enterprise Zone extension to June 2013.
- Business Energy Tax Credit bumped up to 50% for renewable energy projects.
- Public Contracting Code amended to expand definition of public works project to include privately funded projects with $750,000 or more in public funds (does not apply to Industrial Development Bonds).
As the economic development community works through this short interim leading up to a February 2008 special session, it is critical that legislators be educated on the contribution previously funded programs have made in local economic expansion.
Steve Vincent
OEDA Legislative Chair
OECDD Legislative Update [click here to download PDF]
74th Legislative Assembly - 2007 Session
Links to all versions of Staff Measure Summaries, Fiscal Impact Statements, and Revenue Impact Statements for a particular measure
[click here to view website]
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OEDA uses the grassroots strength of the association and our members to advocate on behalf of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, during the legislative sessions.
Economic developers today need to maintain and enhance the economic development tools in order to remain competitive in an increasingly complicated business environment.
Traditionally, Oregon has used lottery proceeds, bonding authority, and other rmechanisms to establish economic development incentives designed to promote job growth and the strengthening of wages.For the 2007 Oregon Legislative Assembly session, OEDA will support economic development legislation that:
- Maintains and expands existing economic development programs
- Establishes new economic development programs tailored to Oregon's emerging industries
- Supports the budgetary requests of OECDD
- Strengthens Oregon's business development competitiveness
While OEDA will be broadly supportive of many business development and business climate programs and policies, OEDA will focus its proactive legislative activity in arenas where OEDA can be particularly targeted and effective.
OEDA will be supportive and respective of the business advocacy agendas of other organizations such as the Association of Oregon Industries, the Oregon Business Council, the Oregon Business Alliance, and Oregon InC. OEDA's niche will be focused on the specific economic development programs necessary for economic development practitioners to be effective and competitive in their field.
Strategy
Given this, OEDA has identified 14 priorities for the 2007 session. These priorities are summarized in the links on the right. OEDA recognizes that these programs interrelate, so should one program not be fully funded it will have an impact on the effectiveness of other programs funding levels.
