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County update: $600 million budget gap, battery recycling bill and multiple county bill positions discussed
Summary
Deschutes County staff told commissioners the state revenue forecast leaves a roughly $600 million shortfall; the board heard staff briefings on a battery producer-responsibility bill (HB 4,144), farm-store legislation, PERS expansion (SB 1569) cost estimates, and outdoor recreation liability bills that could affect Central Oregon businesses.
Deschutes County staff on Feb. 12 warned commissioners that a new state revenue forecast, while higher than earlier estimates, still leaves roughly $600,000,000 to be found to balance the biennial budget. Doug Riggs, giving the legislative update, said a mix of unanticipated costs (including Medicaid eligibility implementation) and only partial offsets in additional corporate revenue are driving the shortfall.
"That still leaves a hole of about 600,000,000 that ways and means is struggling to fill," Riggs said. He and staff urged commissioners to expect pressure on any bills that require additional funding, from small task forces to multi-million dollar…
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