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<p class="MsoNormal">We know there are many of you who are disappointed about funding for the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant in the next biennium. We know the positive impact this program has had in communities where projects that have been completed
throughout the state. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here’s the status of the bill, SB 5531-4. It did move out of Ways and Means and will go to a full vote by the legislature. We are at the end of the legislative session, so things move very quickly with the need to sine die by
<b>June 29<sup>th</sup></b>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So far, in our research, it does not appear that the removal of the funding from the bill was based on any negative perceptions of the grant or its value. But, rather on competition from critical infrastructure needs. The proponents of
those projects provided written and verbal testimony to push for the addition of their projects to the bill.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is not a reflection of the grant program or the excellent work of Oregon Main Street organizations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A few things to know. Our agency, OPRD, is fully supportive of this grant program and funding. It was in OPRD’s budget which was approved by the Governor. The other thing to note is that when the Oregon Main Street Grant enabling bill was
passed, it created it as a permanent grant program. However, the funding is not permanent. The grant could be funded in a variety of ways by the state and private entities. Since the inception of the program, the legislature has authorized funding through
the lottery bond package. So, the program doesn’t go away, it is just currently unfunded.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Additional opportunities to fund this program again will arise, at the very least in the next full legislative session (2027) for funding in 2029. But there may be other possibilities.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our agency will be exploring options for funding and will keep you posted when additional information.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Regards, Sheri<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><img width="65" height="72" style="width:.675in;height:.75in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DBE68B.9A95E900"></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.0pt;color:#4F6228;letter-spacing:2.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228">Sheri Stuart
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#4F6228">(she, her, hers) </span>
</b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">| Oregon Main Street Coordinator</span><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#4F6228"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:3.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Cell: (503)551-3705<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">725 Summer St NE, Ste C<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Salem, Oregon 97301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:gray">Visit our <a href="http://www.oregonheritage.org/">
<span style="color:blue">website</span></a>, Like us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OregonHeritage">
<span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a>, Visit our <a href="http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/">
<span style="color:blue">Blog</span></a>, Join the Oregon Heritage News <a href="https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/Heritage">
<span style="color:#0563C1">e-news</span></a> Check our</span><span style="color:black">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#333333"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/"><span style="color:#23527C">LinkedIn</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:gray">.</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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