Earlier this summer, the Bend Chamber signed on to the opposition campaign to defeat Measure 118. With a month remaining until the election the campaign the Defeat the Costly Tax on Sales campaign released its first TV spot on September 27, initiating its statewide...
With less than 60 days until the November 5 General Election, candidates will begin to make a final push to educate and sway voters. The 2024 ballot will have Bend voters considering future City Councilors, State Representatives and a State Senator, and several...
In advance of the 2025 Legislative Session, the Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) has embarked on a statewide roadshow to engage with communities across Oregon. The JTC will be in Bend on Thursday, September 12 for a tour and roundtable discussion with elected...
Summer is upon us, but the work of our local policymakers is still going strong. City Council has an active summer agenda with important policy conversations underway ranging from transportation and mobility projects to electrification policies. Feedback and citizen...
Earlier this week the state’s quarterly economic outlook and revenue forecast was presented to state legislators as they convened for Spring Legislative Days. Throughout the year, state lawmakers receive updates to inform decision making for the biennial budget. This...
Earlier this week City Council gave initial approval to a revised System Development Charge (SDC) methodology and fee schedule. This discussion and vote are the culmination of over a year of work by City staff and stakeholders to revise how SDCs are charged for...
Bend City Council moved one step closer to a city-wide Transportation Utility Fee (TUF) as they passed a new ordinance and fee structure earlier this week. The first phase of TUF will generate $5 million in new revenue to fund street operations and maintenance. The...
In stark contrast to the prior year, the 2024 Legislative Session was quick and efficient. Nearly 300 bills were introduced over the 32-day session of which a third crossed the finish line. As expected, the focus was housing production, Measure 110 reform and...
SDC Methodology Update Earlier this week, city staff presented stakeholder feedback and policy considerations for revisions to the SDC Methodology. The initial proposal, presented in January, generated significant concerns about double and triple digit increases to...
The 2024 Legislative Session is underway and moving quickly towards adjournment on March 10th. Nearly 300 bills have been introduced, of which half or less are moving forward after the first round of deadlines last week. As expected, the focus has been on housing...
On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Governor Tina Kotek announced a broad coalition supporting her housing production bill, which is building momentum in the 2024 legislative session. Senate Bill 1537 received its first hearing this morning before the Senate Committee On...
With the new year comes change, and businesses in Oregon can expect 2024 to be a big year. Policy discussions at the State Capitol and closer to home in City Council chambers will have implications for businesses in the coming year. The Oregon Legislature will meet...
On her first full day in office, Governor Tina Kotek signed Executive Order 23-04 which set a housing production goal of 36,000 homes per year and established the Housing Production Advisory Council, a council of experts charged with developing an action plan to meet...
As Bend continues to grow, so does the wear and tear on the City’s transportation system. Until now, the City has relied on the State Gas Tax and local property taxes to underwrite road maintenance. However, new revenue modeling has shown that those sources are...
Oregon has a housing crisis, and in Central Oregon, we know this all too well. Our community has seen a drastic increase in housing prices, double-digit rent increases and low inventory. Investments in housing were a focal point for legislators during the 2023...
