In this episode, Senator Elizabeth Steiner, Senate co-chair of the full Ways and Means Committee in the Oregon Legislature, discusses a work group she convened that OFIC's Kyle Williams participated in after the end of the 2023 legislative session. The work group was tasked with exploring ways to address Oregon's wildfire funding crisis that has been building for years, and resulted in a concept that will be put forward as a bill (House Bill 4133) under consideration in the upcoming 2024 legislative session. Sen. Steiner and Kyle discuss the elements that led to formation of the work group, who participated and why, how they developed ideas, and the details of the proposal (including one element that will not move forward). Toward the end of the episode, Sen. Steiner also addresses the incomplete reporting about the workgroup by the media.

Two short clips (part 1, part 2) can be found on our YouTube channel.

Table of Contents

Background

4:23 – 13:33 The history (and context) that lead to creation of the workgroup.

13:34 – 16:03 Where fires are starting and where acres are burning.

16:04 – 21:04 What happened at the end of the 2023 session that resulted in not continuing the $15 million landowner offset?

21:05 – 23:40 Why have conversations on wildfire funding failed in the past?

23:41 – 29:44 How the workgroup came together, who was involved and the process/guidelines for the workgroup conversation.

29:45 – 33:56 Why weren’t there more people involved in the conversation?

33:57 – 45:52 How the proposal came together, the three principles that lead to consensus.

The proposal

45:53 – 50:24 One piece of the proposal that isn’t moving forward.

50:25 – The pieces of the proposal that are moving forward in the bill (HB 4133).

56:14 – 59:04 What the $10/tax account wasn’t paying for and how landowner rates would be reduced.

59:05 – 1:00:20 The primary driver that will reduce landowner per acre rates.

Responding to media coverage

1:00:21 – 1:03:25 Did Sen. Steiner do this for political reasons, because she is running for Treasurer?

1:03:26 – 1:08:09 Did contributions to Sen. Steiner’s PAC influence the proposal? Was it a quid pro quo?

1:08:10 – 1:15:10 Does this proposal shift the financial burden for wildfire from big corporations to average Oregonians?

1:15:11- 1:17:28 How does wildfire funding in Oregon compare to other states?

1:17:29 – 1:20:56 Did one company “write the proposal”/did one entity have more influence over the proposal than others?

1:20:57 – 1:23:15 Sen. Steiner’s experience with two reporters who have covered this issue.

1:23:16 – 1:25:11 Concluding remarks/what’s next.