Governor Announces Appointments to New Revenue Task Force
Names Lane Shetterly as chair and calls on group to challenge assumptions about Oregon’s tax system
Salem - Governor Ted Kulongoski today announced appointments to the Task Force on Comprehensive Revenue Restructuring created by House Bill 2530. This legislation, passed in 2007, creates a new opportunity to examine Oregon ’s tax structure from top to bottom - from cities and counties to school districts around the state.
“Oregon’s tax system must be stable, adequate and fair in order to promote prosperity, expand opportunity, and meet the needs of our citizens in a growing economy,” said Governor Kulongoski. “Over the years there have been many solutions offered to create such a system. With this tax force I’m asking participants to challenge all assumptions and take a fresh look at how we raise revenue and provide services at all levels of government in Oregon.”
The Governor appointed Lane Shetterly, who served as director of the Department of Land Conservation and Development from 2004 through August 2007, to chair the task force. Shetterly also served as a member of the State House of Representatives from 1997 to 2004 and chaired the House Revenue Committee from 2001 to 2004.
Shetterly is appearing today at 1:00 PM before the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee to present an overview of the goals and objectives of the task force.
"I am impressed by the caliber of citizens who have agreed to serve on the task force," said Shetterly. "They come from diverse backgrounds across the state. Their knowledge and experience will be invaluable to taking a fresh look at our revenue system and how it can serve the needs of our people and communities.”
The Governor cited the need to invest in transportation and infrastructure, improve our education system from pre-school to graduate school and facilitate access to affordable health care as key challenges that he hopes will be addressed by the task force.
“We learned a hard lesson about the need for stability during the recession of 2001-2003,” the Governor said. “No one wants to repeat that experience. Now that we have an improving economy, we must do a better job of planning both for unpredictable downturns, when we will have to weather hard times, and for the better years, when we can make smart investments to expand opportunity and create a brighter future for all.”
Shetterly will lead a 30-member task force: 17 voting members, including nine members appointed by the Governor and eight legislators appointed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, and 13 non-voting members, including State Treasurer Randall Edwards and 12 members appointed by the Governor.
Also, as chair, Shetterly will appoint a seven-member advisory council of accountants, economists and tax attorneys to assist the larger task force.
House Bill 2530 establishes how members are appointed. The Governor appoints 21 members and has appointed 18 to date.
Additionally, Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley has announced the appointment of Rep. Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene), Rep. Tobias Reed (D-Beaverton), Rep. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford) and Rep. Scott Bruun (R-West Linn) to the task force. Rep. Barnhart chairs the House Revenue Committee, and Rep. Reed serves as a co-chair of that committee.
Senate President Peter Courtney has announced the appointment of Sen. Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), Sen. Kurt Schrader (D-Canby), Sen. Frank Morse (R-Corvallis) and Sen. Rod Monroe (D-Portland). Sen. Burdick chairs the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee, and Sen. Morse serves as the committee’s co-chair.
The Governor’s initial appointees for the positions established by House Bill 2530 are as follows:
Chair
Lane Shetterly, Attorney
Shetterly, Irick and Ozias
Dallas
General Public Representatives
John Russell, President
Russell Development
Portland
Henry Lorenzen, Attorney and Farmer
Corey, Byler, Rew, Lorenzen & Hojem
Pendleton
Jim Diegel, President/CEO
Cascade Healthcare Community
Bend
Jennifer Geller, Attorney and Community Leader
Stand for Children
Eugene
Small Business Representative
Joe Benetti, Owner
Benetti’s Italian Restaurant
Coos Bay
Large Corporation Representative
(Pending)
Organized Labor Representatives
Jerry Caruthers, Executive Director
Oregon Education Association
Portland
Leslie Frane, Executive Director
Service Employees International Union,
Local 503
Salem
Business Trade Association Representatives*
Ben Fetherston, President
Associated Oregon Industries
Salem
Jon Chandler, CEO
Oregon Home Builders Association
Salem
Labor Association Representatives*
Ralph Groener, Political Coordinator
AFSCME Council 75
Portland
Bob Shiprack, Executive Director
Oregon State Building Trades Council
Portland
Taxpayer Association Representatives*
Steve Buckstein, Senior Policy Analyst
Cascade Policy Institute
Portland
Chuck Sheketoff, Executive Director
Oregon Center for Public Policy
Silverton
Chamber of Commerce Representatives*
Brad Hicks, President/CEO
The Chamber of Medford/Jackson County
Medford
(Portland Business Alliance Representative – Pending)
League of Cities Representatives*
Alan Unger, Mayor
City of Redmond
Tom Hughes, Mayor
City of Hillsboro
Association of Oregon Counties Representatives*
Linda Modrell, County Commissioner
Benton County
Philomath
(Eastern Oregon Counties Representative – Pending)
(* indicates a non-voting position.)
Contact:
Patty Wentz, 503-378-6169
Kristina Edmunson, 503-378-5040
Rem Nivens, 503-378-6469
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