Deschutes County legislative update: revenue forecast leaves $2 billion but wildfire, transportation choices loom

Doug Riggs, Deschutes County27s legislative liaison, briefed commissioners on May 23, 2025, about end-of-session developments in Salem, including the second-chamber committee deadline, a revised revenue forecast and high-priority funding negotiations over wildfire response and transportation.

Riggs said the session just passed a second-chamber deadline that effectively closed most committees to substantive work except for Ways and Means, Revenue and Rules. He reported the latest revenue forecast left budget writers with roughly $2 billion more to allocate in the next biennium compared with the current one, but noted that inflation and large program demands mean that available funds will be stretched.

Wildfire funding was a central focus. Commissioner Chang said the governor is supporting the idea of using a portion of a state27s kicker to seed a wildfire trust fund, generating interest to pay for prevention and suppression over time. Chang cautioned that…