Oregon Trails

An Occasional Newsletter

from

The Association of Oregon Counties

When it Hits the Fan

Internal and External News

May 30, 2012

Since the NACo prescription discount card program began seven years ago, it has saved county residents nationwide more than $470 million. Nearly 38 million prescriptions have been filled through the program.

AOC has heartily endorsed the NACo program, considering many factors before making the endorsement. Those factors include the program's past successful track record, staff and marketing support, history of proven savings, size of the participating pharmacy network, legal compliance and customer service.

The endorsement agreement includes funding for the association of 40 cents for each prescription when the NACo card gives the best price and does not affect the savings percentage to residents. AOC will partner with NACo and the program administrator, CVS Caremark, to grow the program and get cards into the hands of more county residents so they can benefit in these tough times.

Highlights and Features of the NACo Prescription Discount Card Program include:

It's Free - No cost to the county, no cost to taxpayers.

Valuable Discounts - Average savings program-wide of 24 percent and savings up to 75 percent on an individual prescription.

Generates Goodwill - County officials are able to generate some positive media publicity and NACo will assist you by generating and placing news releases.

Easy Access - Residents can obtain a printed card or may print one conveniently from the Web.

Marketing Support - Card and stands shipped to pharmacies and multiple county locations, unlimited free materials, press and PSA assistance. NACo will work with you to design a campaign based on your needs.

Marketing Reimbursement Fee - New in 2012! The NACo program offers an option for counties to receive a $1 per prescription marketing reimbursement fee when the card gives the best price. Counties that do not want to receive the reimbursement can continue with the existing program and expect a 2 to 2.5 percent increase in savings to residents.

For more information on implementing this great program or enhancing your current efforts, please contact Cara Fischer at AOC. You can also access information directly from NACo's Website, Select "Solutions Center" from the top of the screen and click on the "NACo Prescription Discount Card Program" icon or any link to the program on the page. NACo membership staff can also be reached toll-free at 1-888-407-NACo (6226) and ask for "membership."

The recently completed draft Statewide Transportation Strategy (STS) is now open for public review. The STS identifies the most promising greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies in transportation systems, vehicle and fuel technologies, and urban land use patterns, while supporting other goals such as livable communities, economic vitality, and public health. It is part of the Oregon Sustainable Transportation Initiative (OSTI), that resulted from two bills passed by the Oregon Legislature to help the state meet the 2050 goal of reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 75 percent from 1990 levels.

The STS creates a framework for future work to reduce transportation-related GHG emissions in three key travel markets:

• ground passenger and commercial services (less than 10,000 lbs GVW, e.g., cars, SUVs, pick-up trucks, public transportation, and delivery and service vehicles)
• freight (movement of goods by road, air, rail, and water)
• air passenger (commercial air travel including aircraft and ground access and support equipment at airports)

The STS was developed by Oregon Department of Transportation staff and consultants over the course of 18 months through extensive research and analysis and was guided by a policy committee and a technical advisory committee including representatives from local governments, industry, metropolitan planning organizations, state agencies, and others.

Development of the STS is the first of a three phase, multi-year process. Following the adoption of the STS (anticipated fall 2012), an implementation plan will be developed that involves more in-depth assessment of the proposed strategies. 

Public comment will be accepted through July 20, 2012.  

The Final Report of the Non-Roadway Transportation Funding Working Group was released on May 29. This group was charged with identifying the funding needs and options to fund other transportation modes including rail, public transit, bicycle/pedestrian, ports, aviation, and freight. Given Oregon's constitutional restrictions that limit motor vehicle fees and taxes exclusively for roadways and the absence of a sales tax, identifying a sustainable funding source for non-roadway modes has been elusive. 

The working group consisted of members of the state legislature, elected local government representatives, state and local agency officials and key public interest groups. Senator Lee Beyer and Pendleton Mayor Phil Houk served as co-conveners. 

Summary of Recommendations:

• Non-roadway funding needs equal between $515 million and $573 million per year exclusive of operating subsidies.
• Over 60 funding measures for non-roadway transportation improvements and operations were discussed.
• Based on the working group survey results and corresponding analysis and discussion, 16 funding measures were identified by the working group for further consideration and potential near term implementation. It is important to note that the group was not unanimous on these recommendations; however, they received the most interest based on polling of and discussion by the group.
  • Expanded lottery revenue;
  • Using a portion of Ballot Measure 66 (Parks and Watersheds) for trails for bicyclists and pedestrians;
  • Expanded cigarette tax;
  • Reallocation of senior medical tax deductions;
  • Hotel/motel tax - a new surcharge designated to non-roadway transportation or expanding allowable uses for tourist-related activities;
  • Dedicate a portion of the revenues raised through transportation-related taxes or fees that currently go into the state general fund toward non-roadway transportation;
  • User fee for bicyclists;
  • Add, create or re-allocate existing fees on certain utilities or franchises (e.g., phone, garbage, cable) to non-roadway transportation;
  • Railroad property tax re-allocation;
  • Enable/encourage private businesses located adjacent to publicly-owned general aviation facilities to access and improve airport infrastructure;
  • Rail tax credit for infrastructure investment;
  • UGB expansion windfall tax;
  • Use of debt based measures such as GO bonds, Oregon Growth Account, State Infrastructure Bank, use of the federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.
• Formulating a legislative agenda and other implementation steps requires additional analysis and strategy
• Additional funding options will need to be identified and pursued to provide the financial resources necessary to support on-going non-roadway transportation operations and maintenances, particularly for transit.

This report has been be delivered to the Governor for further consideration for a potential revenue package for the 2013 session.

OBDD-IFA is accepting applications until June 30, 2012 for the CDBG program's second quarter, competitive application round. Award decisions for the second quarter will be made in August 2012.

The program serves the non-metropolitan cities and counties of Oregon with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

OBDD reviews applications for funding under the CDBG program on a quarterly basis or until all funds available for the year have been obligated. The department currently has several million dollars to award for 2nd quarter 2012. You are encouraged to contact the department and allow its regional coordinators to work with you to develop an eligible project. 

For further information about the Oregon Community Development Block Grant program, please contact OBDD at (503) 986-0123.

The Oregon Legislature's Emergency Board approved funding that will launch a foreclosure mediation program to help struggling homeowners. The program, created by Senate Bill 1552, was approved in the final hours of the February Session.

Senate Bill 1552 requires banks to meet with homeowners facing foreclosure or who are underwater on their mortgages in mandatory mediation starting July 11. While it also requires homeowners to meet with housing counselors prior to mediation, it allows homeowners to bypass housing counselors if they aren't able to meet within a 30 day period. SB 1552 also outlaws the practice of dual-track foreclosures in which banks enter conversations with homeowners to negotiate terms of a loan while simultaneously beginning the foreclosure process.

The Early Learning Council met in Burns last week. There they discussed the dynamics and realities of rural and frontier Oregon and received updates from the various workgroups that are developing the specifics of the ELC. The ELC is progressing much like health care transformation did last year with a series of workgroups focusing in on a specific topic. The ELC workgroups are the Childcare and Early Education workgroup, Screening Tools workgroup and the Community Based Coordinator of Early Learning Services workgroup.  

The AOC Human Services Steering Committee will meet on June 8 at the Local Government Center to discuss Health Care Reform, the Early Learning Council and the newly formed Veterans Services Subcommittee. AOC is actively recruiting commissioners who are interested in participating in this subcommittee. The subcommittee will focus on funding county veterans services officers and other issues. If you are interested in serving on this subcommittee please attend the June 8th meeting or contact AOC staff Mark Nystrom for more information.

Morrow County residents were challenged recently to participate in a 12-week weight loss and healthy lifestyle program called the Biggest Winner. When all was said and done Morrow County lost a ton - or actually 2,128 pounds from participants in Boardman, Heppner/Lexington, Irrigon, and Ione. Twelve individual biggest winners earned cash prizes funded through their registration fees.

The results of a county-wide health needs assessment spurred the County to action by identifing a significant portion of the county population either affected by, or at risk for developing chronic diseases related to body weight, eating patterns, and lack of physical activity. The Biggest Winner program kicked off in early January with a weigh-in and cholesterol/glucose/blood pressure screening. Participants then met on a weekly basis at one of four community locations where they learned ways to improve their diets, increase physical activity, and general healthy lifestyle behaviors. The results were beyond just weight loss - 21 of the 29 who were screened demonstrated a decrease in total cholesterol.

It was a community-wide collaborative event led by Morrow County Community Health Improvement Partnership with help from CIS Benefits, Morrow County Health District and Columbia River Community Health Services, local restaurants, grocers, individuals and volunteers all who contributed to help make Morrow County healthier. For detailed program information that may assist your county efforts, visit the OHSU Office of Rural Health Website.

The members of the Employment Relations Board (ERB) invite you to join them the evening of Tuesday June 5th at 5:00 p.m. for a discussion on its services and suggestions for improvement. Light refreshments will be served. In particular, the Board would like to discuss ways to address a budget note from the February 2012 legislative session that calls on the Board to improve the timely disposition of cases, and evaluate the quality of Final and Recommended Orders. The Roundtable will take place in the 3rd floor ERB hearing room located at 528 Cottage Street NE. 

Brownfields Conference and Awards, Portland, June 13-14

EV Roadmap 5, Portland, June 22

LGPI Annual Conference, Oregon Garden Resort, Silverton, August 21-23, early bird registration opens in June!