Jackson County Democrats

May 22, 2009

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Legislators Set To Approve

Bipartisan Transportation Bill

SALEM – Forty-six hundred jobs per year will be created in Oregon as a result of legislation crafted by a bipartisan, bicameral group of state legislators.  Key legislators from the House and Senate, both Democrat and Republican, announced today they had reached agreement and had the support of  Governor Ted Kulongoski on HB 2001, the Jobs and Transportation Act, that will create thousands of jobs per year for the next decade to repair and modernize Oregon’s aging transportation systems.

At a Capitol news conference Friday, House Speaker Dave Hunt, Senate President Peter Courtney and legislative leaders on the transportation committees in both chambers said the state would begin a series of projects approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission and listed in HB 2001 (see attached) that will fund maintenance, repair and modernization projects. 

 “Oregonians want us to put aside differences and solve long-standing problems in a bipartisan way. That’s just what we’ve done with this Jobs and Transportation Act” said House Speaker Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas County). “Today, Oregonians have a great need for the jobs this bill will provide immediately. The project costs will be as low as they have been in many years and Oregonians will also receive the long term benefit of much needed improvements designed to reduce congestion and move freight more efficiently.”

Senate President Peter Courtney said the Transportation Committee chairs and key members met for months to come up with a package that begins to address the state’s transportation needs at all levels, sharing resources across the state to keep commuters and commerce moving.

“We came into this session knowing we had to do something about transportation. Meanwhile we learned fast that jobs had to be the priority issue for the Legislature,” said Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Gervais/Salem/Woodburn). “This package creates jobs immediately and over the next decade, and will build roads and infrastructure that will last for generations. The short and long term benefits of this project are critical to getting us out of this recession and building wisely for our future.”

Counties will receive 30% of the estimated $300 million raised annually; cities will receive 20% and the state uses a portion of its 50% share to bond almost $1 billion worth of improvements. In addition, the bill calls for a portion of the funds to be used to better maintain existing roads and improve safety features.

The bill also contains $100 million for Connect Oregon III, a multi-modal transportation plan that will fund rail, air, marine, transit and other forms of non-automobile transportation. The bill also includes funding for senior and disabled transit services.

The package includes several provisions to help Oregon work toward statewide targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. Those include increased funding for transit, passenger rail improvements and making sure greenhouse gas emissions are considered during the transportation planning process.

Under the proposal, the average two-car family would pay an additional $40 in the first year of the plan and $10 per month once the gas increase is in place in 2011 (see attached).

Sensitivity to the economic challenges facing Oregon families prompted legislators to make the gas tax clause provisional upon signs of economic recovery. The plan calls for a the six cent increase to go into effect when the economy shows improvement for two straight quarters or January 1, 2011, whichever is earlier. Increases in vehicle registration and title fees, along with an increase in the weight-mile tax paid by truckers, are also included.

“We recognize that Oregon families are struggling. We also recognize the benefits all of us will receive through this improved infrastructure and the jobs it will create,” said State Rep. Vicki Berger (R-Salem). “This is a critical step forward in the future of our state and I am pleased that this legislature is willing to come together and move Oregon forward.”

The selected projects are spread across the state. Some of the biggest projects include the Woodburn interchange, the Sunrise Corridor improvements, the Newberg-Dundee bypass, an extra lane on Highway 26 from 185^th to Cornell, improvements to Highway 62 in Southern Oregon, Highway 43 at the Sellwood Bridge in Portland and the Beltline system improvements in Lane County. The 23 projects in Eastern Oregon amount to over $80 million in that region of the state, plus the money received by cities and counties.

A number of the projects are designed to open up industrial lands in Marion, Clackamas and Washington counties to help attract and retain industry.

State Senator Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro) said great care was taken to ensure that every region of Oregon would benefit from the jobs created and the transportation improvements.

“This is not a package that benefits any one part of the state. All of us will share in the benefits this transportation bill brings – from jobs that will put Oregonians back to work to road and rail improvements that will help our economy recover,” said Starr. “This is the work voters sent us here to accomplish and we have delivered.”

Projects were included in the proposal so Oregonians would know exactly what they are paying for.

“This is about transparency and accountability,” said State Rep. Terry Beyer (D-Springfield). “We believe Oregonians need to know exactly what we are asking them to pay for, and what benefits they will see from the projects we’ve approved. The projects we picked were approved by the Oregon Transportation Commission and are vital to improving our roads system.”

Senator Rick Metsger said these are projects that have been on the books for years that are finally coming to fruition.

“We are finally taking these projects off a paper list and putting people to work,” said Metsger (D-Welches). “We’ve known for years that these projects make sense for Oregon, and will help our transportation system improve greatly. This is the right time for this Legislature to act.”

A public hearing on the bill was held Thursday night in the Special Joint Transportation Committee appointed by the presiding officers earlier this week. Once approved by the committee, the bill will go directly to the floor of each house where a bipartisan vote is expected in both chambers.

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