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April 1, 2022
SALEM, Ore.—ODFW will host four virtual public listening sessions, one for each of four regions in the state, to present information about the agency’s proposed 2023-25 budget and get feedback.
The sessions are scheduled for the following dates and times. Along with staff from headquarters, regional staff from the area will be available during the meetings to help provide local information:
Northwest Region- April 12; 5:00-7:00
Southwest Region - April 13, 5:00-7:00
Northeast Region - April 14, 5:00-7:00
Southeast Region - April 15, 5:00-7:00
All of the listening sessions will be accessible by the same link and phone number:
Public link to join https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1602917760; Or Telephone:
Dial: US: +1 669 254 5252 or +1 669 216 1590 or +1 551 285 1373 or +1 646 828 7666
Webinar ID: 160 291 7760)
During each meeting, staff will provide a timeline for public engagement, an overview of budget revenue and expenditure projections, and agency recommended Policy Option Packages to establish new services before taking questions and input. For more information on the proposed budget visit https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/budget/2023-25_budget_development.asp
The planned budget does not include a proposed fee increase for recreational hunting or fishing licenses, meaning the agency will have gone almost a full decade without asking for an additional fee increase. Typically, ODFW asks for a fee increase every six years, but the agency has been able to build up healthy operational reserves and can delay the increasing fees for another biennium. The increase in license sales during the pandemic also helped offset the need for a fee increases. (The last fee increase request was approved in the 2015 Legislative Session and implemented incrementally in 2016, 2018 and 2020.)
ODFW is very interested in ideas from underserved populations, including BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) communities, for how we can better support their participation in outdoor recreation and conservation.
Public input from the listening sessions will be incorporated into a draft 2023-25 Agency Request Budget for approval by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at the June 17 meeting. Public testimony will also be taken at that Commission meeting.
Additionally, the Fish and Wildlife Commission will hold a special meeting on ODFW budgets and plans for the 2023-25 biennium on Friday, May 13. This meeting will be online and public testimony will be taken.
After Commission approval of a proposed 2023-25 Agency Request Budget, the agency’s budget goes to the 2023 Oregon State Legislature for final approval and adoption.
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