Eugene legislative priorities: Protect past funding

Presenter: Eugene’s intergovernmental relations committee discussed its top priorities for the next session of the Oregon Legislature. IGR Manager Ethan Nelson:

Ethan Nelson: Every year, the IGR committee reviews the proposed priorities document. The first item is: We’re looking to protect the full funding from the Oregon Housing Community Services statewide shelter program.

And so, as you may recall at the end of 2025, House Bill 3644 passed and had $204 million allocated to OHCS and that was for a statewide shelter program.

[00:00:35] As you’ve also may have heard, the state is facing some budget shortfalls within this biennium, and there has been discussion of new programs, to reduce budgeting for / reduce allocations for, to rebalance the budget.

[00:00:51] And hence House Bill 3644 and the statewide shelter program is a new program. So we just want to have that on our radar and be able to advocate that the full allocation from the Legislature of $204 million stays within OHCS and is continues to be dedicated towards statewide shelter.

[00:01:11] Continuing on, similarly, we received $6 million out of the lottery bond bill, House Bill 5031 ‘for distribution to the city of Eugene to construct a wastewater collection system to prepare for industrial land for development,’ and this is the Clear Lake Road project. The lottery bonds would be sold in 2027. And the amount identified during the 2025 session as predicated upon the forecast of lottery bond revenue into the future, right?

[00:01:43] And so if there is a reduction in lottery bond revenues that would then impact the amount of lottery bonds that the state would sell in 2027 and it would have an impact on the projects that were then allocated funding. We want to have a strong position that says, ‘We want full funding.’ And so that one just is another defensive position to maintain the revenue that the Legislature has previously appropriated and allocated.

[00:02:14] Presenter: Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson:

[00:02:16] Kaarin Knudson: Given the role of the city of Eugene over a number of years and with my predecessor’s work of advocating as a part of that (shelter) work group and also our city’s work as both an innovative and highly effective local jurisdiction, I would just (as is possible) encourage us to be working as a united front with Lane County in pursuit of this $6 million in funding. As we know, the pressures that our budget are under are real.

[00:02:45] And also, we know that as Eugene succeeds providing shelter capacity, statistically, Lane County succeeds. And that also our collective efforts are really well connected in this way. So just a point of encouragement in our advocacy work within the building and to have a truly united front in this effort.

[00:03:04] Presenter: Continuing with the draft list of proposed priorities, Ethan Nelson:

[00:03:09] Ethan Nelson: Support increased protections related to threats to public officials. This was a priority from last year, and we had a bill, Senate Bill 473 that Sen. (Floyd) Prozanski led with, moved out of the full Senate unanimously, unanimous support and moved to the House, where after a fairly large revision in the House Judiciary, it ‘died’ within House rules. So it didn’t move forward.

[00:03:33] Some opposition by some of the House members came to light. And so I had followup conversations in my discussions yesterday and on Monday during the legislative days up in Salem. There’s more interest from legislators to move this forward especially on the House side. We just need to now, if possible, find an available bill and we can move it forward this year.

[00:03:56] Support state and federal financial support for Eugene Airport expansion. This is a large capital project, it’s going to take multiple years for us to gather money. Clear Lake took three years to get funding for. Crow Road took two years, and it was only a major statewide focus to bring additional capital dollars to communities for housing, that really galvanized our efforts there.

[00:04:19] And so the rationale behind this is that this is a large ongoing capital project and let’s start talking about it on an ongoing basis with state and federal leaders. So they get really clear that this is something that Eugene wants and needs and the region wants.

[00:04:35] Support increased state investment in behavioral health systems. And so this one was from last year as well and I put in here as a placeholder and to consult with Lane County regarding potential behavioral health funding priorities.

[00:04:47] I know hearing from the county that they have received a reduction in community corrections, that they are concerned about having full funding for the deflection program.

[00:04:59] And then also if there are any reductions in this biennium from federal sources that then the state has to reduce money, then if the county’s not receiving the adequate funds, then it ends up having a direct impact on the city organization and the community.

So the interest here was to maintain that one as a priority and work with our partners at Lane County to support their efforts to receive robust funding for those services.

[00:05:27] Presenter: Councilors Greg Evans and Randy Groves:

[00:05:30] Councilor Greg Evans: I would say I totally agree with that. We can’t backtrack on behavioral health.

[00:05:35] Councilor Randy Groves: Right.

[00:05:36] Councilor Greg Evans: And we have no idea what the feds are going to do.

[00:05:40] Councilor Randy Groves: Seems like it’s changing daily, if not hourly.

[00:05:43] Councilor Greg Evans: Every day.

[00:05:45] Presenter: Intergovernmental Relations Manager Ethan Nelson:

[00:05:49] Ethan Nelson: Okay, so back onto the list.

[00:05:51] Support statewide property tax reform. Last session we advocated in support of House Bill 2321 and it established a task force on impacts on ballot Measures 5 and 50. Local Rep. Nathanson is going to lead that effort and it’s going to make recommendations for the 2027 legislative session to address the structural deficits local governments face due to property tax restrictions.

[00:06:14] We want to show that that is a priority for the city of Eugene. Staff will be allocated to that and we would continue to robustly engage in the work group either as members and/or as following updates.

[00:06:31] Presenter: Councilor Jennifer Yeh:

[00:06:33] Councilor Jennifer Yeh: I’m willing to say like that a priority in this current budget situation is things that are bringing funds to our city. I think that’s a priority. I think it’s kind of implied in here. But to be able to do things in our community, we need funds.

[00:06:51] Presenter: Councilor Greg Evans:

[00:06:52] Councilor Greg Evans: And especially some of the critical things that we need, you know, the federal partnership on. I’m really afraid that we may either be compromised or we might lose significant resources to be able to expand the airport, put the third concourse in, fix the baggage claim, etc., etc.

[00:07:17] Presenter: Last session, the city successfully lobbied the Legislature to fund its highest priority projects. In the next session, the city just hopes to hold on to that funding.