NEWS UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GOMBERG: Feeding Our Kids

By Representative David Gomberg, House District 10

7/28/2025
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Last Monday, I projected that sometime between now and Labor Day, your legislature will return to Salem in special session to address transportation funding in Oregon. The next morning, Governor Tina Kotek made that announcement. She will call lawmakers into a special session in late August to again try to find the necessary funding to pay for road and highway maintenance in the state.

The Golden Pioneer atop the Capitol building gazes steadily west toward my home near the Coast, awaiting our return for the Special Session called for Labor Day Weekend. More about the Gold Man later below.

As regular readers know, the regular 2025 session failed to resolve shortfalls in transportation funding despite consideration of several detailed and long-debated proposals. A massive plan that would have raised taxes on vehicle sales, hiked the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon, and increased a variety of other taxes and fees died on the session’s final day when it became clear its price tag — $14.6 billion over a decade — was too high and lacked votes to secure passage.

The huge and complex ODOT budget silos funds into categories depending on the source of those funds. Some taxes are dedicated to mass transit. Some federal dollars are committed to specific projects. Half of the Highway Trust Fund is committed to local government. That makes it impossible to move money around.

Rather than use funds otherwise committed to schools, health care, or wildfires, we expect people who use our roads to pay for them. Road maintenance at both the state and local level is largely funded by gas taxes. When people drive less or use cars that don’t rely on gasoline, gas tax revenues decline. At the same time, the cost of road repairs is going up.

I well understand that many Oregonians have trouble paying for groceries or utilities or finding housing they can afford. Costs are up on everything, and no one likes to pay more in taxes. But I also worry that this winter, as fog lines fade, potholes proliferate, snow and ice accumulate, and response to slides or accidents is slower, highway safety may become much more important to most Oregonians. Too many accidents are occurring on our local roads, and too many lives are being lost.

Agency leaders say they plan to scale back pothole repairs, road striping, litter pickup, snow plowing, and other services as they work to close a $354 million funding gap. Roughly 10% of the agency’s workforce received layoff notices this month. State transportation leaders informed 483 workers that their jobs will go away at the end of July.

Governor Kotek has now decided to delay those layoff for 45 days while the legislature considers a new, scaled back transportation plan.

Increasing the state’s 40-cent gas tax to 46 cents, splitting that difference between the state transportation department and local governments. The state would receive 50% of the increase, Oregon’s 36 counties would get 30% and cities would receive 20%.
Committing to implementing a per-mile charge for electric vehicles and hybrids at some point in the next few years.
A $42 increase to vehicle registration fees, which now range from $126 to $156 depending on a car’s age and miles per gallon and a $30 supplemental fee for electric vehicles, which now cost $316 to register for two years.
A $139 increase to the state’s title fee, which now ranges from $101 to $116 for gas cars or $192 for electric vehicles.
Increasing the current 0.1% payroll tax for transit to 0.2% to fund mass transit, primarily in rural areas.
Repealing references to tolling left over from a 2017 transportation package (although tolling would help generate revenue from out-of-state visitors).

Oregon ranks dead last among the seven states in the American West for the amount of money we put into our transportation system. This new proposed plan would still leave us paying less than drivers in Idaho or Nevada and much less than California and Washington who pay more than three times as much in vehicle-related taxes than Oregonians.

Opinions, of course, vary on whether new money is needed or services are necessary. Yesterday in the Oregonian, House Republican leader Christine Drazen argued that Oregonians cannot afford higher costs and that instead of new revenue from drivers, we should turn to the income tax dollars allocated to the Legislative Emergency Board for unexpected costs throughout the rest of this budget cycle. Democrat Susan McLain, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, wrote that we pay less than neighboring states and that ODOT now lacks the resources to fulfill its core mission of maintaining our roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.

Both points of view are worth a read.

As I explained last week, a special session will require leadership to first come up with a workable funding plan and agreement from both parties to at least show up. The logistics will prove tricky in a busy summer season when many lawmakers have vacations planned or work commitments for their non-legislative jobs. Even the Capitol building has a scheduling conflict. It is completely shuttered until August 10 as part of a years-long renovation project.

I’ve now detailed the plan. It includes more than $40 million in spending reductions that I helped author for the current ODOT budget. And while many members may decline to participate, it appears there is a commitment to a quorum and likely passage.

Scheduling was equally problematic. Polling legislative members indicated that more House members were available on August 29 and Senate members on September 1^st, covering both ends of the Labor Day Weekend.

Most of the Capitol building will remain closed for planned renovations. That includes the House Chamber. However, the Senate is open, and so the House will actually meet there on Friday. We’ll hear the bill, debate it, and vote. Presuming passage, we’ll then hand it off to the Senate for their consideration three days later. Committee review of the proposal and public comment will be scheduled before a Joint Special Session Committee a week earlier.

I’ve often opined during my legislative service that there is nothing special about special sessions. They are, by definition, unplanned, but necessarily planned out in minute detail. Unless there is a limited purpose, a clear proposal, and a pathway forward, we will not convene. And while there are no time or content limits, the intent is always to stay focused, get in, and quickly get out. That said, I expect the House to meet for one day and the Senate to do the same.

The House Chamber will be closed in August, and members will convene in the Senate Chambers.

As work concludes this year on a four-year project to make our capitol more seismically safe and to add public spaces and committee rooms, the most visible change outside may be a facelift for the famed golden pioneer who, like many Oregonians, looks west from Salem, possibly yearning for a visit to the beach.

It’s been 25 years since work crews last coated the massive gold pioneer statue atop the Oregon Capitol Building in Salem with 23-karat gold leaf. And it’s been a quarter century of roosting birds scratching and pooping on the towering figure. The scorching sun of summer, ice storms of winter, and pounding rain for many months of the year also have taken their toll on the statue.

So earlier this month, crews started regilding popular roosting spots on the 87-year-old, 23-foot-tall, 17,000-pound behemoth done by artist Ulric Ellerhusen and known as the “Gold Man” or “Oregon Pioneer.”

The project will cost the state $9,110 for the micro-thin layer of gold leaf. In all, the statue is covered with about 11.5 ounces of gold head to toe — worth about $38,000 by weight — but this summer’s project only amounts to a partial refresh.

This is the fifth time the statue is being plated in gold. The first was when it was built in 1938, followed by 1958, 1984, when Oregon students raised more than $37,000 for the project, and again in 2000.

Though the observation deck is closed this summer, it is scheduled to open again for tours during spring break 2026 and then again in mid-June 2026 for the summer season. Check out a video of the free tours here.

Much of this information comes from an article in the Oregonian. Read more here

My efforts over the past few years have focused on infrastructure. Water and sewer are not much on people’s minds until they stop working. Parks and plazas enhance and improve livability, and ports contribute significantly to our local economies. But our small towns and districts often can’t pay for big projects without state support – often from lottery bonds. And so I’ve been pleased to help with sewers in Monroe, docks in Depoe Bay, dams in Newport, drug rehabilitation in Newport, plazas and parks in Lincoln City, water in Waldport, a pool in Toledo, and rodeo stands in Philomath.

Simply put, our infrastructure is aging out, at capacity, and falling apart.

Lawmakers this year approved millions of dollars for new buildings, special projects, and emergency needs across the state. But I was disappointed we could not do more.

Senator Fred Girod, a Silverton Republican who co-chairs the Ways and Means Capital Construction Subcommittee, told his committee that the chances any individual lawmaker got their favorite projects funded this year were remarkably slim. He said he received $2 billion worth of requests for $500 million in lottery funds. After paying for what he said were large and obligatory projects, little was left.

Major investments included a $105 million outlay from revenue bonds to replace the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge, and $100 million to Coos Bay channel dredging in preparation for development of a container shipping terminal.

Read the ASCE Report Card and details on Oregon’s infrastructure needs here.

Oregon’s infrastructure plays a critical role in the lives of its residents, from providing clean drinking water to ensuring safe travel to work, school, and recreation. With a rich history of innovation, such as implementing the nation’s first gas tax, piloting a road usage charge program, and offering the first interurban electric rail service in the country, Oregon has long been a leader in the realm of infrastructure. However, the state now faces significant challenges that require substantial planning, strong leadership, and adequate financial investment.

Oregon’s infrastructure systems are experiencing capacity challenges due to a growing population and increasing commercial activities such as the expansion of data centers and high-tech manufacturing. There is a significant opportunity to make resilient infrastructure investments that not only address capacity and condition issues but also meet climate and social goals. For example, integrating renewable energy sources and enhancing local energy resilience can support Oregon’s clean energy and climate goals while providing additional benefits to communities.

In their annual infrastructure report, the American Society of Engineers (ASCE) details $10.1 billion in total drinking water needs, $8.2 billion in total wastewater needs, 28% of roads are in poor or fair condition, and 170 high-hazard dams.

The ASCE Report Card provides a snapshot of the current state of Oregon’s infrastructure, offering residents and policymakers a tool to engage in a conversation about where we are and where we want to be. While regulatory advancements and resilience efforts are commendable, securing sustainable funding sources is imperative to elevate Oregon’s infrastructure to meet modern standards and ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.

On Thursday morning, I was pleased to help welcome Dr. Tim Cook, Clackamas Community College President, to Oregon Coast Community College. Dr. Cook is running 1500 miles to visit each community college in Oregon this summer to raise awareness of profound student needs and to raise funds to meet those needs. To contribute to OCCC students and honor Dr. Cook’s run, click here.

Saturday, Susan and I were at the gala fundraising celebration by the Newport Fisherman’s Wives at their annual Homeport Dinner. Six distinguished honorees were recognized, including Tom McAdams, Connie Kennedy, Kaety Jacobson, Laura Anderson, Gary Ripka, and Jim Sievers. These individuals represent the diverse contributions to Oregon’s fishing industry, from advocacy and sustainable fishing practices to community leadership.

Last week, I also briefly updated the Lincoln City Chamber, but I am scheduled to be their main lunch program on August 26 – right before the special session.

This week is filled with meetings: the Oregon Innovation Council, dropping in on the Siletz City Council, a check-in with the Speaker about transportation, a planning session for the Coast Economic Summit (now scheduled for September 25-26 in Coos Bay), and a meeting with several freshman legislators. Saturday will be busy with Art, Oysters, and Brews in Waldport, a ribbon cutting at the Central Coast Food Web, and opening night of the Summer Nights Jazz Series at the PAC. Sunday, I’ll join Lincoln County Democrats for their annual summer picnic.

Hope to see you out there somewhere!