The City of Sweet Home will host City Hall Day at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 18, providing an opportunity for city officials, state lawmakers and legislative candidates to share ideas and perspectives prior to the 2013 legislative session.
City officials, legislators and candidates will attend, and the public is welcome.
“City officials know best the issues that impact their communities,” said Mayor Craig Fentiman. “Local officials have been elected to represent their communities and legislators are elected to represent the same constituents. City Hall Week will ensure that local voices gain the attention of legislators and candidates.”
Cities across Oregon have designated Sept. 17-21, as “City Hall Week.”
In 21 host cities, city officials will lead a forum with legislators and candidates on issues that support the economic vitality and stability of Oregon communities.
Among the issues discussed will be finance reform, land use reform, resetting assessed value at sale, jobs/economic development initiative and renewal of the 9-1-1 tax.
Oregon cities, through the League of Oregon Cities, are urging the Legislature to:
n Refer a constitutional amendment to voters allowing local option levies of up to 10 years and an option to have a local option levy be outside of compression;
n Support land use reform that would allow population forecasting by a third party that would not be appealable as a land use decision;
n Refer a constitutional amendment to restore equity in Oregon’s property tax system by resetting assessed value to real market value when a property is sold or constructed, in a fashion that does not adversely affect local option levies;
n Support recapitalizing the Brownfields Redevelopment Fund Program, support the Patient Capital for Industrial Lands Infrastructure Pilot Program and support the Employment Site Re-Use/Redevelopment Pilot Program; and
n Pass legislation renewing the state’s 9-1-1 tax, containing elements that enhance the delivery of 9-1-1 services.