Santiam Rebuild Coalition

12/23/2025

11/30/2025

The opponents of the Transportation bill claim ODOT “lost” a billion dollars.

The truth? They didn’t. So, read on if you'd like to understand what really went down.

The simple version doesn’t require insider knowledge: The money was never there.

Every two years, ODOT forecasts how much money they will need to build, fix and maintain roads. They come to the legislature and ask for that amount of money.

Now, some of the money is from the State of Oregon--think gas tax, fees, weight-mile taxes, DMV, bus fares, etc. And, some of it (billions actually), comes from the Federal government.

It's important to understand a basic rule about transportation money. And that is this: federal dollars cannot be spend on maintenance and operations. They must be matched with state dollars, and they can only be spent on big expensive road and bridge projects.

Ok, so what happened? Well, in 2023, ODOT came to the legislature to ask for their spending allowance for the next two years. The problem is ODOT used a 20-year old forecasting model, and it "assumed" Oregon would get about $1.1 billion more in federal project dollars than the state was ever going to receive.

That’s a bad forecast, but it's not missing cash, it's not shady spending, and it's not a slush fund that vanished.

And, here is why bad forecasting is a billion dollar problem.

Once those numbers were baked into the work plan, ODOT was "locked" into construction contracts and federal match requirements. And, those commitments are real-deal legal obligations. There is no way out of it. The state has to pay the money to the contractors.

So, when the "actual" federal revenue came in lower, they had to cover those commitments from the only flexible pot in their budget, which was maintenance (state only dollars).

And, that’s why plow routes, striping, and basic repairs took a hit. Not because money was lost, but because the model was wrong, and the money for big projects never came from the federal government.

This all landed on top of a maintenance budget that was already squeezed. Costs for asphalt, labor, and equipment have been rising for years, while Oregonians buy fewer gallons of gas every year. So the only part of the agency that relies solely on the gas tax (maintenance) was already under strain before the forecasting mistake pushed it over the edge.

A bad forecast is still a problem. It deserves accountability and real fixes. But it’s not a billion dollars evaporating into thin air, and it’s not proof that someone stole the road fund or hid it behind DEI budgets. It’s an outdated system that needs to be corrected so we aren’t having this same conversation again in two years.

11/05/2025

Certified Wildfire MitigationSpecialist (CWMS)
The Long-Term Recovery group has a grant application from the OSFM to support local fire professional's obtaining this certification.

The program now only costs $499 to register for online course materials and exam.

For your easy reference, here is the link to Chemeketa's course offerings.
If you are interested in becoming certified by applying for a scholarship here are classes available through Chemeketa.
Https://www.chemeketa.edu/programs-classes/program-finder/fire-suppression/
Contact Kevin Dial, 503-931-0288

Based at Chemeketa’s Brooks Center—home to one of the most modern training facilities on the West Coast—you’ll develop the skills needed for a successful career in fire service. You will learn to:

08/25/2025

08/01/2025

06/19/2025

Dean Craig posted this today and I am glad he did.
Oregon is facing a shift that I have witnessed elsewhere. It isn’t pretty. But, the ship can be turned if companies and individuals really want it to.

Tektronix’s plant at Sunset Highway and Barnes Road in 1954 (Source: Oregon Historical Society Research Library) Vanishing Act The departure of Oregon companies speaks to a bigger problem for the state. By Steve DuinJune 13, 2025You might think Don Vollum would have made peace by now with the slow...

05/07/2025

Come learn about our wildfire prevention efforts at one of our Wildfire Ready Events. Everyone has a part to play when it comes to readiness. We’d like to hear from you. Oregon summers are getting hotter and drier, resulting in longer fire seasons.

03/24/2025

SCE Awards Banquet, April 26th at Chinook Winds Casino.

01/12/2025

We are excited to announce that we’re building a Meet the Prime event in collaboration with Instruction Construction and the Salem Kroc Center! NAWIC Salem Chapter 198 has also joined in to help support this great event.
Please help spread the word! This is going to be an amazing event that will not only allow GC’s and Sub contractors to network, but it also has a student element as well. This event is being held in the Warehouse were students are building sheds for a cause while learning Oregon Employability Skills!

Registration: https://lnkd.in/gCaEucum

If you’re a GC please reach out to [email protected] for registration.

We look forward to seeing everyone there.

10/07/2024

https://youtu.be/Clu5-1dOWaM?si=9I3YBsbGqgdFvQ9D

Since 1976 GK Machine’s goal has been to create exceptional value for our customers by focusing on the design and manufacturing of quality equipment. The com...

01/24/2024

It's happening! Looking for contractors, design firms, schools, and those providing other opportunities for graduating high school students to come and interact with students from around the state and help them experience construction work first-hand. It's free to be an exhibitor.

Also looking for sponsors who want to help us continue to provide this valuable industry event.

For more info, email [email protected].

01/23/2024