Thorn Run: Tualatin’s seismic reservoir allocation spared; transportation, grants loom for 2027

Thorn Run Partners told the Tualatin City Council on April 27 that advocacy during Oregon’s 2026 short legislative session succeeded in protecting the city’s seismic reservoir allocation from proposed cuts.

“To not bury the lead, I do wanna say congratulations on defending your seismic reservoir allocation,” Tyler Janzen, senior vice president with Thorn Run Partners, said, describing a multi‑month push to have the project removed from a department cuts list. Janzen said the budget co‑chairs ultimately reported about $128,000,000 in cuts and also advanced a separate revenue bill that generated roughly $311,600,000 to soften reductions.

Why it matters: Councilors and staff said protecting the seismic reservoir allocation preserves a locally important capital project and buys time to seek construction and matching funds. Thorn Run emphasized that constrained state revenues mean cities must be proactive in articulating capital needs for the 2027–29 biennium.

Leah Navarro of Thorn Run summarized the timeline for next year’s budget work, saying agency request budgets will feed the governor’s recommendation and that the 2027 legislative session will begin Jan. 19, 2027. “Given that information, we expect there to be a continuation of a pretty tight budget environment,” Navarro said, urging the council to prepare a short list of capital requests in June and a draft legislative agenda by August.

Transportation and economic development took center stage in the presentation. Janzen said a major transportation funding package that failed in the 2025 session was later referred to voters and that the governor has convened a Transportation Vision Work Group to design a 2027 package. “Any anything that you can put in the mix early is more likely to have success,” he said, urging the council to identify projects and brief the state delegation early.

Federal issues and local projects: In a separate update Greg, the city’s federal lobbyist, said the team aggressively packaged the Riverfront Park project for appropriations but reported that Congresswoman Salinas did not request the city’s Riverfront Park funding in the FY27 appropriations process. Greg said senators may still consider the project but that the city should plan for a multi‑year advocacy push. He also noted the city received a $250,000 allocation last year for a 65th & Borland project but that staff plans to decline the small earmark because federalizing the project could increase costs beyond the award.

Greg reviewed federal grant programs important to Tualatin: he said national Community Development Block Grant funding was maintained in FY26 near $3.3 billion but cautioned the administration’s FY27 proposal recommended eliminating CDBG. He also described delays in disbursing a regional community fueling/EV charging award (he referenced an approximate $16,000,000 regional award) while federal agencies review project priorities, and urged vigilance on reauthorizing the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program when surface transportation authorizations expire in September.

What’s next: Council and staff agreed to develop candidate capital requests in June, hold a broader brainstorming session in July, and return in August with draft state and federal legislative agendas to position Tualatin for 2027 advocacy. Greg and Thorn Run said they will meet with members of Congress and senators earlier in the process next year to improve prospects for federal support.

The council had no formal vote on the report; staff will incorporate the presentation’s recommendations into the city’s legislative planning schedule.