Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Revenue topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Association of Oregon Counties urges statewide, county-led push on revenue at Harney County meeting
Summary
AOC executive team briefed Harney County Court on a statewide county revenue study and urged collective advocacy to push the legislature for basic capacity funding. AOC outlined a multi-pronged initiative including a revenue research project and transient lodging tax guidance.
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) executive team visited Harney County Court on June 3 to press county officials to coordinate statewide on revenue challenges and legislative priorities. Gina Nicholl, an AOC executive who identified herself to the court, described AOC as a member-driven advocacy and education organization "that supports Oregon counties through education, advocacy and programs," and framed the organization as "your boots on the ground."
Erin Skarr, who identified herself as AOC president and a Tullahoma County commissioner, said roughly "about 2 thirds of our counties are struggling with revenue right now" and outlined a presidential initiative focused on county revenue. Skarr described a three-part outreach and research effort that has produced webinars, county revenue studies, and a transient lodging tax discussion to help counties diversify funding. She said AOC has committed funds to a statewide research study—partnering with consultants (including Econ Northwest)—to create a single picture of county general funds and how state requirements are being funded or underfunded across Oregon. The research, she said, is intended to give the legislature a unified narrative when counties seek policy or funding changes.
AOC staff highlighted direct services available to Harney County, including support for county finance processes and the IRIS 10 financial software pilot (noting Harney County participated in early testing). Speakers emphasized the value of shared data: commissioners who present consolidated revenue and service pictures to Salem are more likely, they said, to secure changes or targeted funding than individual counties acting alone.
Court members raised local examples—transient lodging taxes, working lands and waters tours and targeted tours for legislators—to illustrate how legislators can be brought to the ground to see county needs. AOC urged counties to use regional tours, the biennial policy process and the upcoming legislative retreat in Sisters to coalesce priorities to carry to the state.
The presentation concluded with an invitation for county officials to participate in the revenue research and to share local data with the consultant team. The court recessed after the AOC visit and listed follow-up items including possible meetings with the research team and sharing AOC materials with county staff.
