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The Board of Commissioners recently adopted the Washington County agenda for the 2023 session of the Oregon State Legislature, as well as the agenda for the next session of the U.S. Congress.
The Washington County State Legislative Agenda for 2023 focuses on five key priorities that will build services for our community to thrive and also emphasize the importance of partnerships with a wide variety of stakeholders:
- Secure stabilized and sustainable funding for services that the state requires the County to provide.
- Secure state investments supporting local government investments in economic development and job creation.
- Develop policies to enable the County to recruit and retain the talent necessary for our communities to thrive.
- Support funding to initiate the planning process for replacing the County’s almost 100-year-old Courthouse, which will improve how the public safety system serves our growing community.
- Support state funding for the development of the Center for Addiction Triage and Treatment (the CATT) and additional behavioral health infrastructure.
The State Agenda also describes the County’s guiding principles which support the overall goals and mission of the Board to provide robust and equitable service delivery to the community.
Serving in their role as the Board for Clean Water Services, the Commissioners also set legislative priorities that support efforts to maintain and improve infrastructure, innovation and efficiency of water resources that ensure quality of life throughout the Tualatin River Watershed.
Likewise, the 2023 Federal Agenda lays out priorities for Clean Water Services and expands on the guiding principles for both agencies that will create an increasingly safe, equitable and inclusive community to live, work and thrive.
As stated by Board Chair Kathryn Harrington, “These legislative agendas are a framework for our efforts to advance the core services and values of Washington County. As it has become increasingly challenging to secure the needed resources to meet community need, we appreciate strong partnerships with federal, state and local leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and help us find solutions.”