Daniel Scotton
Executive Director
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
February 4th, 2026

Testimony supporting HB 4125

Dear Chair Nathanson, Vice-Chair Reschke, Vice-Chair Walters, and Members of the Committee,

My name is Daniel Scotton, Executive Director of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN), an organization of some 2,000 Southern Oregonians who are concerned about the climate crisis and encourage state action to address it. I offer this testimony in support of House Bill 4125.

HB 4125 is a structural fiscal reform bill that carries meaningful indirect implications for Oregon’s capacity to fund climate resilience, disaster response, and long-term environmental protection by promoting more conservative and reliable revenue planning.

Oregon’s current budgeting process is unsustainable because it rests on a single revenue estimate. When forecasts fall short, the consequences ripple quickly through state programs. This approach puts state economists in the unenviable position of attempting to predict economic conditions over a two-year period, a particularly impossible task during periods of extreme volatility, and then committing public investments to that prediction.

Last session, we saw a budget that failed to continue to fund programs such as community resiliency hubs, and community heat pump deployment, both of which had been successfully rolled out and were delivering real benefits across the state. These were not failures of policy or implementation. They were casualties of budget volatility. When forecasts come in high and reality falls short, effective programs are often the first to feel the strain.

By evening out our approach to revenue forecasting, we can better ensure baseline funding for the agencies responsible for implementing Oregon’s statutory climate goals. This kind of stability protects climate and environmental programs from sudden shortfalls and allows long-term planning to replace constant recalibration.

HB 4125’s conservative forecasting framework provides predictability and stability, both of which are essential for effective climate governance. By strengthening Oregon’s fiscal foundation, this bill meaningfully supports the state’s ability to meet its climate goals and respond to a changing risk landscape.

For these reasons, we urge the committee to support HB 4125. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Daniel Scotton

Ashland, OR

Director@socan.eco