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Student Success Act Referral Effort Dropped
July 18, 2019 - Late Tuesday, July 16, the Oregonian reported that Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce - the group that had filed a referendum with the state indicating it would seek to block implementation of the taxation portion of HB 3427, the Student Success Act (SSA) - announced it would not be pursuing the referral after all.
The group cited legislative constraints as the reason for dropping the effort, including the passage of SB 116, which moved the date of a potential election to January 21, 2020, from November 3, 2020.
This does not preclude the possibility of other individuals or groups mounting a referral effort, though no other referrendum has yet been filed. Such an effort would require the gathering of nearly 75,000 signatures by Friday, September 27, 2019, to move forward.
It also does not preclude the possibility of Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce or another group taking up the referral effort once the tax is in place. But it now appears almost certain that the business tax will go into effect on January 1, 2020, which is great news for K-12 and other educational initiatives across Oregon.
Plans for the use of SSA funds, which are expected in the 2020-21 school year, are due from districts in November 2019. Plan development includes the involvement of parents, community members, and other stakeholder groups, so please watch for opportunities to participate and provide your feedback.