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With level funding, committee plans defensive legislative outreach and suggests tours to engage lawmakers
Summary
Staff told the committee both Oregon and Washington require level funding for the next biennium, so the commission’s fall outreach will focus on defending existing service-level budgets; commissioners proposed in-person tours and partnerships with tourism groups to bolster appropriations support.
Christina briefed the committee on budget instructions from both Oregon and Washington: agencies were told to submit no requests beyond current service levels, meaning the commission must defend existing funding rather than propose new programs. She described the next steps as a defense strategy to "keep the wheels on the bus" and emphasized the need to be resourceful and efficient in plan-review work.
Commissioners recommended in-person engagement to introduce the commission and its work to legislators and appropriations decision-makers, including arranging tours, show-and-tell visits and legislative delegations to the Gorge. Commissioner Steve Hoffman described past legislative tours and suggested re-creating that outreach, noting prior success hosting legislators and governors for in-person visits.
Commissioner Alex Johnson urged using tourism and economic arguments in outreach, citing a Bridal Oregon 2025 figure and noting Travel Oregon’s $45,000,000 lodgings-tax-funded budget as an example of the economic footprint commissioners can highlight. Staff and commissioners agreed to collaborate on one-pagers and outreach materials and to include Gorge 2030 public-engagement planning in upcoming committee work.
