Please call, email, and write a letter to the Senators on the Business and Transportation Committee and ask them to support SB 478. Let them know that it is time to give the people a vote on the debt created by Urban Renewal.
The following is a Sample letter and more links to more information.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Hello Senators,
I am writing you today to ask for your support of SB 478, which would allow the voter to have a choice
over the Urban Renewal Agencies in the state. The Bill is currently in one of your committees, Business & Transportation, and I would like you to pass this bill out of committee and onto the floor for a full vote of the Senate.
Last year the State of Oregon lost over $182 Million in taxes due to Tax Increment Financing, which is the process Urban Renewal agencies use to skim money from schools, colleges, hospitals, fire departments, law enforcement and many other taxing districts that provide the basic services on which people depend. The state’s school districts suffer the largest loss of money, up to 45% of the funding comes from their coffers, and the state has to backfill that loss with the revenue provided by our income taxes. Then cities and counties use that funding to leverage grant money from state and federal government agencies. Those grants also come
from other sources of tax revenue paid for by us, the taxpayer. It becomes apparent that the entire process is a pyramid scheme developed as a mechanism to provide sustainability to the corporate welfare system, with
little to no input from citizens.
Eventually this process will start to consume too much of our taxes and will leave many municipalities financially ravaged. Cities and counties cannot go into bankruptcy according to OR law, so they use the debt from Urban Renewal to subsidize their budgets through varying infrastructure projects. A city or county does not suffer damage to their credit rating if their Urban Renewal Agency goes belly-up, because under current law it is an
independent entity legally separate from the city or county of origin. Currently, Multnomah County sacrifices
25% of every dollar collected in property taxes to Urban Renewal and much of that money goes into the pockets of very wealthy developers and private consultants.
Please, support the people of Oregon by supporting SB 478 and Thank You for your time.
The following is a Sample letter and more links to more information.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Hello Senators,
I am writing you today to ask for your support of SB 478, which would allow the voter to have a choice
over the Urban Renewal Agencies in the state. The Bill is currently in one of your committees, Business & Transportation, and I would like you to pass this bill out of committee and onto the floor for a full vote of the Senate.
Last year the State of Oregon lost over $182 Million in taxes due to Tax Increment Financing, which is the process Urban Renewal agencies use to skim money from schools, colleges, hospitals, fire departments, law enforcement and many other taxing districts that provide the basic services on which people depend. The state’s school districts suffer the largest loss of money, up to 45% of the funding comes from their coffers, and the state has to backfill that loss with the revenue provided by our income taxes. Then cities and counties use that funding to leverage grant money from state and federal government agencies. Those grants also come
from other sources of tax revenue paid for by us, the taxpayer. It becomes apparent that the entire process is a pyramid scheme developed as a mechanism to provide sustainability to the corporate welfare system, with
little to no input from citizens.
Eventually this process will start to consume too much of our taxes and will leave many municipalities financially ravaged. Cities and counties cannot go into bankruptcy according to OR law, so they use the debt from Urban Renewal to subsidize their budgets through varying infrastructure projects. A city or county does not suffer damage to their credit rating if their Urban Renewal Agency goes belly-up, because under current law it is an
independent entity legally separate from the city or county of origin. Currently, Multnomah County sacrifices
25% of every dollar collected in property taxes to Urban Renewal and much of that money goes into the pockets of very wealthy developers and private consultants.
Please, support the people of Oregon by supporting SB 478 and Thank You for your time.
Senators on the Business and Transportation Committee
| Sen. Beyer Sen.LeeBeyer@state.or.us Sen. Starr Sean@BruceStarr.org Sen. Edwards Sen.ChrisEdwards@state.or.us | Sen. Girod Sen.FredGirod@state.or.us Sen. Monroe MonroeR@leg.state.or.us Sen. Thomsen Sen.ChuckThomsen@state.or.us |
Here are the links to the bill:
Senate Bill 478
http://apps.leg.state.or.us/MeasureInfo/Measure#measureNumber=478
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
Senate Bill 478
http://apps.leg.state.or.us/MeasureInfo/Measure#measureNumber=478
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
Click to Find Your Oregon State Legislator
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
The podcast above is a good program on Urban Renewal.
It reveals future new/old plans for our cities and counties.
Here is the link to the CATO Institute The Cato Institute:
Recent Article Publised by the Oregon Catalyst:
Urban renewal agencies draining money from Oregon schools
| Hey Everyone, Oregon Senator Jeff Kruse has just introduced the Urban Renewal Bill that Dave Hunnicutt from Oregonians in Action had prepared. It gives control of those agencies back over to the voter. The Coos County BOC passed this same type of measure last year and I am working on getting it implemented in the city of Bandon. Please, review the bill and let me know if you could help get this bill enacted. People have been working on this for years and now is time to act. The website has resource material or relevant history on the subject, click here. and click here. The Tragedy of Urban Renewal | Here is the Summary ************************************************** Senate Bill 478 Sponsored by Senator KRUSE SUMMARY The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's brief statement of the essential features of the measure as introduced. Requires approval of urban renewal plan by electors of municipality proposing plan. Declares emergency, effective on passage. ***************************************************** Call Your State Senator and tell them to Support SB 478. In addition, here is a link to a very scary story about how DC plans to federalize all UR agencies... The Federalization of Local Urban Renewal Agencies |
Click to Find Your Oregon State Legislator
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
Where to Access Session Information for the Oregon Legislature?
Related Posts:
Action Alert:---State Legislation HB2173
Action Alert:---State Legislation HB2800
The Federalization of Local Urban Renewal Agencies
Urban Ledger: Albany's Obligations and relying on Tax Increment Financing
Measures Would keep voters Involved and help control "Economic Fascism"
Update: Lake Oswego council could repeal Foothills urban renewal district:
Possible Nike site could be added to Enterprise Zone next week
Urban Renewal gone bad---read the stories
Coos Bay---New Information added to the Visitor's Center page...
Coos Bay---What's a measly $120,000 to $180,000 over 6 years, eh?
Coos Bay---Just a "Slight" Conflict of Interest Here. Or did ANYONE notice?
Coos Bay---Padding City of Coos Bay Salaries With Urban Renewal Tax Dollars
See the Cash Cow of Coos Bay----Hear it eat your money---The Coos Bay URA
Coos Bay Urban Renewal Minutes from 1/2/2000 to 5/15/2012 as shown
Must See Documentary---"Battle for Brooklyn"
Vote NO Bandon Pool!
A Photo Inquiry Into The Egyptian Theatre and Complete Fiscal
Incompetence In Coos Bay Oregon
Here is a good Example of Bad Planning and Density Control....
Email Alert from a Watchdog in Myrtle Point
MGX---ORC, does it still get its enterprise zone exemptions???
Action Alert:---State Legislation HB2173
Action Alert:---State Legislation HB2800
The Federalization of Local Urban Renewal Agencies
Urban Ledger: Albany's Obligations and relying on Tax Increment Financing
Measures Would keep voters Involved and help control "Economic Fascism"
Update: Lake Oswego council could repeal Foothills urban renewal district:
Possible Nike site could be added to Enterprise Zone next week
Urban Renewal gone bad---read the stories
Coos Bay---New Information added to the Visitor's Center page...
Coos Bay---What's a measly $120,000 to $180,000 over 6 years, eh?
Coos Bay---Just a "Slight" Conflict of Interest Here. Or did ANYONE notice?
Coos Bay---Padding City of Coos Bay Salaries With Urban Renewal Tax Dollars
See the Cash Cow of Coos Bay----Hear it eat your money---The Coos Bay URA
Coos Bay Urban Renewal Minutes from 1/2/2000 to 5/15/2012 as shown
Must See Documentary---"Battle for Brooklyn"
Vote NO Bandon Pool!
A Photo Inquiry Into The Egyptian Theatre and Complete Fiscal
Incompetence In Coos Bay Oregon
Here is a good Example of Bad Planning and Density Control....
Email Alert from a Watchdog in Myrtle Point
MGX---ORC, does it still get its enterprise zone exemptions???
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