Governor Tina Kotek declares a special session to acquire extra funds for transportation and prevent workforce reductions.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has announced a special session starting August 29 to address a $350 million budget shortfall in the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The special session aims to secure additional funding for ODOT, which would have faced severe service reductions and layoffs without the special session.
During the regular session, lawmakers failed to pass Democrat-backed transportation funding proposals, which included tax and fee hikes. Without a special session, ODOT officials would have closed 12 maintenance stations across Oregon this summer and likely laid off hundreds more workers this winter.
The funding proposal for the upcoming special session includes a small increase to the state's 40 cents per gallon gas tax, a hike to the state's 0.1% payroll tax for transit, and an adjustment to the state's fees on trucking companies. The proposal also focuses on accountability for ODOT's stewardship, increased transit funding to avoid cuts, and historic safety investments like wildlife crossings and Safe Routes to School programs.
The proposed funding package for ODOT aims to deliver stable and right-sized funding for maintenance, operations, preservation, safety, and critical project completion for the 2025-27 biennium. It includes modernization of transportation funding with fee increases spread over a 10-12 year period and ensures that all road users, including electric vehicles and delivery fleets, pay their fair share.
Gov. Kotek did not provide many details about the funding proposal. However, she has been in frequent communication with lawmakers of both parties, including after-hours and weekend phone calls, since the session ended. Kotek is confident that lawmakers will pass a watered-down proposal next month to keep basic services in place and avert layoffs.
The special session is expected to address the urgent need for funding to prevent layoffs at the state transportation agency and maintain services like snow plowing and wildfire prevention. The proposal to be passed next month will be a short-term funding solution for ODOT, serving as the first step in addressing the state's long-term transportation needs.
[1] OregonLive. (2023). Oregon lawmakers to return for special session on transportation funding. Retrieved from https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/08/oregon-lawmakers-to-return-for-special-session-on-transportation-funding.html
[2] The Oregonian. (2023). Oregon governor announces special session to address transportation funding. Retrieved from https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/08/oregon-governor-announces-special-session-to-address-transportation-funding.html
[3] Oregon Public Broadcasting. (2023). Oregon governor calls special session to address transportation funding. Retrieved from https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-governor-calls-special-session-to-address-transportation-funding/
[4] The Statesman Journal. (2023). Oregon governor announces special session to address transportation funding. Retrieved from https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2023/08/14/oregon-governor-announces-special-session-to-address-transportation-funding/70240612007/
- The policy-and-legislation surrounding Oregon's transportation funding will be revisited during the upcoming special session, given the urgency to maintain infrastructure services like snow plowing and wildfire prevention.
- The ongoing political discussions between Oregon lawmakers and Governor Tina Kotek revolve around the need for changes in policy-and-legislation, such as adjustments to the gas tax and payroll tax for transit, to ensure the stability of the state's transportation infrastructure.
