NEWS UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GOMBERG: The Senate Stalemate Continues

By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10

5/15/2023

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

It was a beautiful Mother’s Day across our coast range district. Warm sunny skies and gentle breezes brought plenty of visitors as our valley neighbors sought to escape temperatures Friday through Monday that were 25 to 30 degrees above normal. When I ventured from my garden into town, I noted that Lincoln City was 15 degrees cooler than Otis just three miles inland. I also discovered that it was perfect weather for driving but hot weather for working outside, even though my wonderful garden is just beginning to peak.

I trust that you too enjoyed our suddenly summer weather. As the new week begins, the temperature is expected to drop and I’ll be back in Salem with few opportunities to venture outside the capitol building.

While bipartisan cooperation and communication is working in the House, the procedural stalemate continues in the Senate. Republicans there have declined to participate and are responding to all measures with a series of procedural objections. Oregon is one of four states that require two-thirds of lawmakers to attend floor sessions for a quorum to conduct any business. Most states require a simple majority. Democrats hold 17 of 30 seats in our Senate, enough to pass most legislation. But attendance by 20 members is needed for a quorum.

Oregon voters sent a clear message when an overwhelming majority passed Measure 113 in 2022 to dissuade lawmakers from staging walkouts over divisive legislation. Regardless of party affiliation, legislators should go to work and do their jobs or face consequences. Added to the state constitution, 113 states that any lawmaker with ten unexcused absences cannot run in the next election.

The “walk-out” is now in its 10th day.

Desks remain empty in the Oregon Senate.

Late last week, a slight thawing of relations between Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, and Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, offered a glimmer of hope to get the session back on track. Wagner announced Thursday that he would hold off convening Senate floor sessions over the weekend. That gave the two sides some breathing room to continue discussions without triggering, at least until Monday, a possible 10th unexcused absence by several Republican legislators.

The meetings occurred but were apparently unproductive. Earlier today when the Senate convened, all Republicans were absent or excused.

After what was supposed to be three days of negotiations to head off a crisis, the Monday floor session at 10:30 a.m. had the lowest number of lawmakers present since the walkout began May 3. Three members, Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls, Brian Boquist, I-Dallas, and Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, have exceeded the number of absences allowed under 113 and will forfeit their opportunity to run again.

The walkout comes at a critical time in the legislative session. Bills that have been approved in the House and in Senate committees are backing up as they wait for a Senate floor vote. There is growing frustration in the House that our bills are in limbo in the Senate as we meet each day to pass bills that came to us from the Senate.

Friday, the Ways and Means Committee met to approve several agency budgets and send them to the House and Senate for a final vote. And this week, we receive the final Revenue Forecast that will be used to begin completion of the overall state budget. We have slightly more than a month left to complete our work before the Constitution says we must adjourn.

Before we adjourn, we’re required to complete a budget.

Oregon’s budget is so big that it’s easy to get confused about how the money comes in and goes out. That said, it’s fundamentally no different than the average family budget. There’s income and expenditures. And unlike the federal government, the state budget must balance perfectly every two years. The state cannot spend money it does not have.

Budget cycles happen every two years, biennially, so the next budget will be for 2023-25. And just to further confuse matters, a budget year begins July 1.

The final budget is still being negotiated and debated. But here is a very broad overview of our income and expenses.

Income:

$32 billion from the General Fund (taxes) and lottery funds

Expenditures:

$9.9 billion, K-12 education
$3.9 billion, other school-related costs
$10.7 billion, human services (includes the Oregon State Hospital, behavioral health and raises for home health care workers)
$3 billion, public safety (includes corrections, state police, district attorney’s offices, child support, and the Oregon Military Department)
$1.1 billion, Oregon Judicial Department (includes all state courts and public defenders)
$785.6 million, natural resources, fire suppression and parks
$512 million, economic development
$372 million, administrative services
$191.5 million, legislative branch
$155.5 million, transportation (gasoline taxes and other fees for roads are in a separate account)

The state also has the opportunity to raise and spend bonding dollars. Bonds allow the state to borrow money from anyone willing to invest in our General Obligation bonds. Investors give the state money up front, then the state pays them back later with interest. That amount isn’t infinite. Oregon tries to keep the amount it has to pay down each biennium below 5% of the General Fund.

For the 2023-25 budget, the state can sell $1.9 billion in General Obligation (GO) bonds. On top of that, Oregon can sell another $500 million backed by lottery funds.

GO bonds are used to build stuff that the state has part ownership of. Lottery bond dollars are used for local projects like sewer, water, ports, parks, regional economic development and cultural centers. Last week the Capital Construction Committee held hearings to receive suggestions on lottery bond investments. Several people from our district presented ideas. You can listen to the hearing here. Skip ahead to the two-hour mark for a series of HD 10 proposals.

Certainly the largest capital construction project being discussed this year is replacement of the I-5 bridge across the Columbia River.

With any complex policy topic there is always a lot of information to sift through. The Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR) is the best place to start to get up to speed on the project. The IBR is the official project office that has been tasked by both Oregon and Washington to complete the planning, design, and construction work on the new I-5 Bridge. Here is the most up-to-date information:

The Columbia Bridge is a long way from our district but I have long supported the replacement project. Here on the Coast, we well understand the need for seismic improvements and an improved bridge will help bring customers to our districts and our products to market. I was in favor four years ago when Washington State dropped the ball. I remain in favor and have watched with dismay as costs since then have soared. Stay tuned for news as this major effort is debated in the Joint Committee on Transportation.

We are in the middle of an off-year election and dozens of positions will be filled on school boards and local districts. I often observe that these lower visibility positions have an enormous effect on the quality of our schools, roads, and water service. May 16th is the last day to turn your ballot into a ballot box or have it postmarked to the elections office.

To find your closest ballot drop box click here. Once you’ve voted you can track your ballot here.

Big thanks to all those folks who have put their name forward to be on the ballot for these largely unpaid and unthanked positions. Please make sure you get your ballot turned in by Tuesday.

I mentioned earlier that I ventured away from my garden work for a drive into Lincoln City Saturday. The occasion was the 10^th Anniversary Celebration of the St. James Santiago School. We enjoyed an auction, art display, Bollywood Dance by the 3^rd and 4^th graders, and Chinese folktale play.

I had planned a joint town hall with Senator Anderson in cooperation with the Oregon Coast Community College next Friday. The Senator had some scheduling issues and we have now adjusted the event to June 2^nd.

On June 3^rd, I’ll be joining the League of Women Voters legislative update in Corvallis at the City Library at 10 am. We’re planning a Philomath gathering later the same day. Stay tuned for details. I look forward to hearing your questions and concerns.

If the stalemate ends in the Senate, things will begin to move very quickly. I’ll endeavor to keep you all informed.

email: Rep.DavidGomberg@oregonlegislature.gov
phone: 503-986-1410
address: 900 Court St NE, H-480, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/gomberg