...and here we go! With the start of the new year I am hopeful we can find ways to get our economy back on track in Oregon. In order to turn things around the legislature needs to get serious about making our state a better place for job creators. That means not only working on positive changes during the 2012 Legislative Session next month, but also in the months and years beyond. Oregon's business community suffers from what I call DURT: "Delays, Uncertainty, Regulation and Taxation"; all areas we need to improve in state government.
Some of my colleagues in the House of Representatives and I are proposing reforms in February on a number of areas including:
· Lower taxes. Revamping the corporate tax structure imposed by Measure 67, reducing capital gains taxes, and helping low income taxpayers with more reasonable tax brackets.
· Land use. Add more flexibility at the local level with regional land use planning.
· Natural resources. Enhance timber harvests on state forests, and better utilize water resources from the Columbia River.
· Health care. Allow Oregon families to deduct the cost of their health insurance from their taxable income.
This will be the first short legislative session in an even-numbered year under the new annual sessions law approved by Oregon voters in 2010. The state budget is expected to dominate the discussion. Also as a member of the Ways and Means Committee I know it will be difficult trying to reduce spending on state programs to adjust for the drop in tax revenues. I welcome any suggestions you might have on ways we can prioritize important services and cut back in other areas.
During the February session, each legislator has been allowed to introduce two bills. The ones I will be working on are of great interest to citizens in my legislative district and across the state.
The first bill is part of an ongoing effort to support Second Amendment rights for Oregonians. This legislation will prevent the release of personal information to the public about people who apply for a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) once they check a box on the CHL application stating that they do not want those records disclosed.
The second bill would require all state agencies to use the E-verify employment screening program run by the federal government. This will to give taxpayer supported agencies the best chance of hiring people who are in our country legally. Many other states currently use E-verify and this would be a step in the right direction for Oregon as well. This legislation includes accountability measures and a component for local governments. See below under "Thoughts for Thatcher".
There are some exciting developments to share with you this month about the state's transparency website I helped develop a few years ago. You can read more about it below. As always, I value hearing about your ideas and concerns, especially when critical decisions will be made during the upcoming legislative session.
