Oregon lawmakers propose funding for wildfire prevention efforts

Oregon lawmakers are working on a new plan to fund wildfire prevention and suppression efforts in the state. Governor Tina Kotek has called for "hard decisions" to boost funding for fire-related needs. State Representatives John Lively and Bobby Levy introduced a bipartisan bill called House Bill 3940. This bill aims to address urgent wildfire costs based on recommendations from a task force that met over the past year. The proposed plan includes a 5-cent surcharge on bottles and cans, which would help raise funds for the Department of the State Fire Marshal. Additionally, the bill would allocate money from an insurance tax and set aside funds from the state's reserves for wildfire prevention. It also suggests changes to forest harvest taxes and fees for rural landowners receiving firefighting services. The total amount this plan could generate remains unclear but could exceed $280 million, according to task force estimates. The task force projects that various funding avenues could generate significant amounts. For example, the bottle fee could bring in $200 million, and the insurance tax may add another $140 million. There are also proposals to set aside a portion of the state's ending fund balance. Republican Senator Fred Girod expressed support for the bill as a good starting point but noted it may be revised as discussions continue. Girod shared that he finds the bottle tax difficult to accept but supports using the existing insurance tax for wildfire funding. Another proposal by Democrat Senator Jeff Golden seeks to withhold the "kicker" — a surplus of state revenue typically returned to voters — to help fund wildfire needs. This idea faces challenges since it requires a two-thirds majority in the legislature, making it difficult to pass. This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.