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Jefferson County leaders debate ways & means priorities; commissioners back letter to preserve 50-30-20 gas-tax split
Summary
County and city leaders discussed legislative priorities including infrastructure funding for workforce housing, DMV service hours in rural counties and a proposed letter supporting the longstanding 50/30/20 split of fuel-tax distributions to state/county/cities.
Jefferson County commissioners and Madras city officials spent a portion of the meeting reviewing 2025 legislative priorities and agreed to pursue coordinated advocacy on several items affecting infrastructure and public works funding.
Commissioners said a top priority is securing infrastructure support for housing—water and sewer extensions required to enable new neighborhoods and workforce housing in the county. Officials said they planned testimony at the House Ways & Means committee and coordinated with regional partners on a slate of housing-related bills. A regional housing committee sends bill lists and the Madras mayor and councilor said they review and vote on which bills to support.
A recurring topic was the state fuel-tax distribution commonly referred to at the meeting as the “50/30/20” split (50% state, 30% county, 20% cities). Commissioners said the state faces funding pressure at the Oregon Department of Transportation and that discussions in Salem have included proposals to change how fuel tax revenue is split. The board agreed to draft a joint letter urging legislators to preserve the 50/30/20 split and maintain revenue for local road maintenance. County counsel was asked to prepare a draft and county and city leaders offered to sign.
Other items discussed included a proposed DMV bill to address reduced staffing and limited service hours in eastern and rural counties, and local capital requests such as fairgrounds funding and the Jerry intersection on Highway 26. Commissioners acknowledged political and budget tradeoffs in Salem; several expressed concern about moving to a statewide gas-tax increase without further ODOT cost-control reforms.
Ending: Commissioners approved drafting a joint letter supporting maintenance of the 50/30/20 split and signaled interest in coordinated testimony and outreach on housing infrastructure and rural service issues.
