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Senate committee hears support to lower grant match thresholds for small cities
Summary
Supporters and municipal representatives told the Senate Committee that SB 15 85 would make state infrastructure and capital grants more attainable for small cities by lowering local match requirements and instituting sliding scales; cities cited specific examples where reduced matches would enable stalled projects.
Ed Deal (representing House District 17) and Matt Keating (chief of staff for Senator Manning) told the committee SB 15 85 and its dash-1 amendment would lower matching requirements for capital construction and municipal infrastructure grants for cities under specified population thresholds. Keating said the dash-1 would "drop the match to $400,000," a change intended to make grant programs accessible to 87% of Oregon cities.
Witnesses from small cities and city organizations said the bill would not increase agency budgets or guarantee funds but would reduce the local barrier to entry for projects such as safe routes to school and water-system upgrades. Central Point provided an example where an existing water grant required about a 22% local match equaling roughly $71,000; under the bill the local match in that example would be limited to 12%, saving the city about $41,000. Robbie McCoy, mayor of Bonita, said the bill would reduce his city's local share on a $6.9 million road project from an unaffordable $2.76 million to a much lower amount under the new sliding scale, changing an impossible project into a doable one.
Opposition from special-district representatives was recorded on equity grounds: Mark Landauer said special districts that serve similar small populations are not included in the bill and that omission raises fairness concerns. Several city administrators asked for continuing conversations about including counties or special districts in future sessions.
The committee closed the public hearing on SB 15 85 and adjourned for the day; no committee vote was recorded in the hearing.
