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Public testimony urges full funding for ODOT during SB 5541 hearing
Summary
Union leaders, transit advocates and local officials told the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee that cuts to the Oregon Department of Transportation would harm safety, rural communities and everyday travel. ODOT director answered detailed questions about staffing, consultant use and a recent financing error.
Members of the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee heard more than an hour of public testimony urging lawmakers to fully fund the Oregon Department of Transportation during a public hearing on Senate Bill 5541.
Speakers from labor unions, transit agencies, conservation groups and local government said cuts to ODOT’s operating budget would reduce routine maintenance, slow response to landslides and storms, and increase safety risks for motorists and nondrivers alike.
Union leaders framed the funding question as a safety and jobs issue. Johnny Earl, president of SEIU 503, told the committee his union represents “72,000 workers who provide critical services in every corner of the state” and said ODOT has warned of a potential layoff of about 1,000 workers without legislative action. “Our transportation system connects our communities, supports local businesses, and drive[s] our state economy,” Earl said.
Jason Lawrence, an ODOT employee and vice president of SEIU sub-local 730, described…
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