Advocacy

Measure 118: Defeat the Costly Tax on Sales

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...

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Election Season Heating Up Across Oregon

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...

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An Active Summer Agenda for City Council

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...

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SDC Proposal Moving Forward

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...

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City Council Adopts Transportation Utility Fee

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...

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2024 Legislative Session Wraps Up Early

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...

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Local Updates

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...

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State Updates

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...

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What’s Ahead in 2024 – State and Local Policy Changes

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...

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City Plans to Adopt Transportation Utility Fee

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...

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Local Investments in Workforce Housing

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...

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