Council hears 2025 state legislative priorities: housing, transportation, industrial sites and water workforce

HILLSBORO, Ore. — City staff and contracted legislative consultants presented Hillsboro’s draft 2025 state legislative agenda at a Jan. 7 work session, outlining priorities for housing, transportation, economic development and workforce training as the Oregon Legislature convenes.

Ariel Nelson, Hillsboro government relations manager, and Inga Deckard, a member of the city’s contract lobbying team, briefed the council on expected session dynamics and specific policy asks. They described a Democratic supermajority in the new Legislature and identified likely areas of action: housing and homelessness funding and policy, a transportation revenue package and local revenue protections, infrastructure investments that could support housing, industrial-site readiness funding, and workforce-development pilots for the water sector.

Why it matters: State action on these topics could unlock new funding streams or regulatory changes that affect Hillsboro’s ability to support housing development, maintain and upgrade roads and water systems, and attract employers to industrial lands.

Presentation highlights

- Session dynamics: Nelson and Deckard said the newly constituted Legislature has a Democratic supermajority in both chambers and significant leadership turnover. They warned that a 3/5 threshold applies to revenue-raising measures and said leaders will be central to negotiations.

- Economic development: Hillsboro will seek a technical fix to the Strategic Investment Program (SIP) to clarify signatory requirements after prior statutory changes created unintended statewide impacts. The city also supports an industrial site-readiness fund proposal (cited coalition request: $40 million) to prepare sites for private investment.

- Housing and homelessness: The city supports the governor’s housing production goals, backing a requested housing-infrastructure funding program to support water and transportation infrastructure for housing projects. The agenda also includes preservation and production funding and support for efforts to expand affordable homeownership pathways, including measures aimed at enabling condo development.

- Transportation: Nelson and Deckard said the state faces a sizable gap in transportation funding driven by declining gas-tax revenue and inflation; Hillsboro’s priority is to preserve the existing 50/30/20 split of state highway fund revenues (state/counties/cities) so cities retain their share for local maintenance and safety work. Local projects Hillsboro seeks support for include safety improvements on TV Highway and funding for a Westside multimodal study along Highway 26.

- Water-sector workforce: The city is proposing support for a pilot workforce-development program to create a pipeline for water-sector employees. Presenters noted conversations with the joint water caucus and Representative Ken Helm’s involvement on water issues.

- Recreational immunity: The city supports a permanent statutory fix to restore recreational immunity protections for landowners and managers after a court decision and a temporary legislative fix that is set to sunset in July.

Council comments and questions

Councilors asked several questions about program details and funding levels. Councilor Alcare pressed for stronger ties between workforce development and K–12 outreach, including funding to support student visits to industry (for example, school-bus funding). Nelson said staff will pursue opportunities and monitor proposals during the session. Councilor Harris asked whether each slide item corresponded to a draft bill or concept; presenters confirmed many items are attached to legislative concepts or coalition bills and said staff will track language as bills are introduced.

Other council comments raised concerns about regional funding allocations and the potential effect on Metro’s SHS (shelter and homelessness) funding; presenters said they will continue to coordinate with regional partners.

Speakers (meeting record)

- Ariel Nelson — Government Relations Manager, City of Hillsboro. First referenced at 01:14:22. - Inga Deckard — Contract lobbying team (proxy). First referenced at 01:14:22. - Robbie Hammond — City Manager, City of Hillsboro (introducing the session). First referenced at 01:08:24. - Councilor Alcare — posed workforce development questions. First referenced at 00:31:19. - Councilor Harris — asked about bill concepts and attachments. First referenced at 01:24:47.

Authorities and coalitions noted in discussion

- Governor’s recommended budget (referenced as the source for statewide funding priorities). - Strategic Investment Program (SIP) — requested technical fix to clarify signatories. - Industrial site-readiness fund proposal — coalition ask cited (approx. $40 million). - Housing-infrastructure program proposal — governor’s recommended program to provide grants for water and transportation infrastructure supporting housing production.

Clarifying details from the session

- SIP fix: presenters described the change as a technical correction to restore the program to its intended scope after language in a prior bill produced statewide effects beyond the sponsor’s intent (example cited: Port of Morrow language). The city characterized the current ask as technical rather than an expansion. - Industrial site readiness: the coalition figure cited was approximately $40 million; the city will join broader regional advocacy. - Water workforce pilot: presenters said the program would replicate local workforce development successes at scale; exact funding amounts were not finalized in the presentation.

Ending

Staff said they will track introduced bills, pursue coalition opportunities, and return with updates during the session. Councilors asked staff to look for additional funding sources and to coordinate with regional partners where state proposals intersected with Metro and county programs.