2012 Oregon Legislature Pushes Toward Finish
Oregon’s first 35 day session, has to end by March 6th so lawmakers have a few days to iron out some key bills. And as time winds down – our Central Oregon delegation says the session was a success.
Central Oregonians know if there’s one thing that needs to happen in our area, its creating more jobs.
“A lot of problems we have with unemployed people is they sit around they get bored, and it’s just very, very frustrating to see this economy not moving forward,” said Sen. Chris Telfer, R-Bend.
Job creation was Telfer’s main focus this session.
“Much of our budgetary issues would go away if, in fact, we had people working,” Telfer said.
Telfer’s two bills have passed. One rezones 465 acres of land for industrial use in Redmond. The other gives more flexibility to conduct research and development under industrial revenue bonds. Telfer says that might bring a California company to Redmond and 1,000 jobs.
Powell Butte Rep. Mike McLane’s bill resolves the confusion over tax laws for tech companies wanting to build data centers, it promises to lure businesses to areas like Prineville.
“We needed to come into this building and tell the Department of Revenue this: You don’t undermine agreements that cities and counties have made on enterprise zones on data centers,” said Rep. John Huffman, R-The Dalles.
Still, our delegation is disappointed in lack of progress on jobs bills.
“If I was to characterize, we didn’t get much of the jobs agenda. Most of the attention was on healthcare and education,” said Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day.
To pay for those programs, McLane says you have to have robust private-sector employment.
“If we lose track of that, and I’m afraid some have here, we don’t serve the state and families,” McLane said.
While there wasn’t a lot of time to spend on bills in the month-long session, most of the legislators are just happy they got some form of economic development passed.
“Those are the jobs and economy bills I think we were sent to Salem in February to take care of,” Huffman said.
When asked if Oregon is better off because of this session, Huffman said yes, but only slightly.
Lawmakers are optimistic that sine die (adjournment will happen either Thursday afternoon or Friday.
