Legislator’s letter: An update from Rep. Cyrus Javadi

Cutting Timber Harvests to Save Wildlife - Is Oregon’s Economy Paying the Price?

The Oregon Board of Forestry has decided to move forward with a proposal that would cut nearly 35% of the timber harvest in the State Forest. This reduction, part of the Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), would result in lost local government tax revenue, jobs and businesses, and cuts to local public safety services.

This plan is going to devastate our local economy. On February 15, on a 4-3 vote, the Board of Forestry rejected a proposal requiring them to go back to the drawing board to better balance the region’s economic needs.

Years ago, the North Coast gave these forests to the state for essentially nothing, with the understanding that it would be managed for our benefit. I am working with local industry and officials to understand the full impact, and in the coming weeks, I will be sharing what I am doing to protect our forests and jobs - and how you can help. Sign up for more timely updates here: www.OregonLegislature.gov/Javadi.

Alarming Legislation

for Agriculture

The North Coast is known for our dairy products. But several bills aim to restrict current livestock operations in the state (SB 85, SB 398, SB 399, HB 2197, HB 2667). These bills look to limit or ban the expansion or creation of additional responsible, highly-regulated, and ethical livestock operations throughout Oregon. These family-owned farms and feedlots produce beef, dairy, chicken, eggs, and pork for Oregonians and beyond.

Oregon has one of the country’s most robust regulatory programs for livestock feeding operations. This program was recently enhanced (with support from the ag industry) to ensure protection for our environment and food supply. Each of these farms or feedlots hold a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permit; a program partnership between the Department of Environmental Quality and administered by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The CAFO permit provides oversight to protect Oregon’s water quality.

If these bills pass, they would magnify the strain on our food supply chain and further drive up costs for milk, chicken, eggs, beef, and pork. This legislation would only accelerate the loss of North Coast family farms and local food production, killing jobs and businesses. As a result, Oregon would have to rely more on out-of-state livestock products.

A Big Kicker, Maybe

Last week, state economists released the revenue forecast. These quarterly updates inform legislators how much money we have for the state’s next budget cycle. They also determine the Kicker. They projected that Oregon taxpayers would get a $3.938 billion kicker credit on their 2023 taxes. However, a lot can change between now and when the Kicker is finalized – toward the end of the year.

I am committed to protecting the Kicker. Believe it or not, some in Salem want to take these tax dollars to pad government bank accounts. It’s your money, it should be returned to you. I recently sponsored SB 990, which would return the Kicker to taxpayers as a check instead of a tax credit.

A Ray of Hope on the Horizon - Addressing the Housing Crisis on the Oregon Coast

A housing and homelessness package is expected to advance in the coming days in the Capitol. We have been working hard on two large bills – House Bill 2001 and House Bill 2889 – and they have now been combined into one large bill (HB 2001).

This bill is a step toward fulfilling the Governor’s request for $130 million that accompanied her homelessness state of emergency declaration. As a member of the Housing and Homelessness committee, I have been involved in bipartisan negotiations on the package. The most recent amendment included $5 million in grant funding for agricultural workforce housing, which I and other Republicans on the committee fought for. This grant will aid Oregon agricultural producers in providing safe housing to farmworkers.

This provision signals to our rural and agricultural communities that they are included in this housing package. It is critical that housing packages provide opportunities statewide, not just in the metropolitan areas. This provision is a small yet important step in that direction.

North Coast counties were not included under Gov. Kotek’s executive order declaring a homelessness state of emergency. As you may have seen, I and the bipartisan Coastal Caucus expressed disappointment with the Governor’s exclusion of Coastal communities in her initial executive order. This package will likely extend the state of emergency statewide to include the North Coast and include funding for housing projects.

As always, you can reach my office at Rep.CyrusJavadi@oregonlegislature.gov and at 503-986-1432.