Springfield’s Fiscal Future: A Roundtable Conversation with the Mayor
Like many communities across Oregon, Springfield is confronting a near-term general fund deficit alongside longer-term fiscal pressures. These challenges are driven by structural limitations in property tax revenue growth and broader economic headwinds.
Earlier this year, Mayor Van Gordon convened a Fiscal Stability Task Force comprised of community-minded leaders to evaluate potential solutions and develop proactive, balanced strategies. Over the summer, the Mayor and City leadership are actively engaging the community to share the ideas under consideration and invite input on solutions that preserve essential services and support Springfield’s long-term economic vitality.
On July 22, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a Chamber Roundtable program featuring Mayor Sean VanGordon. Mayor VanGordon was joined by consultant Anne Marie Levis of Funk/Levis & Associates, the firm that facilitated the City’s Fiscal Stability Task Force. The Task Force was charged with finding practical ways to address Springfield’s projected budget shortfall, an estimated $4.5 million by fiscal year 2027–28. Their work focused on short-term cost savings and revenue options, while also identifying long-term strategies like economic development and legislative reform to help fix the City’s structural imbalance.
One of the most discussed recommendations is a potential payroll tax, identified as a more equitable option to help close the city’s funding gap compared to a new bond or property tax levy. Of the nearly 27,000 jobs in Springfield, about 75% are held by commuters who live outside city limits. While these individuals benefit from city services, they do not currently contribute to the local tax base. A payroll tax would extend the responsibility for funding those services more broadly across the workforce. As a fiscal tool, it targets income earners rather than property owners, making it less burdensome for fixed-income seniors and helping to reduce additional strain on residential and small business property owners, who already bear much of the local tax load.
The Springfield Chamber has consistently supported reasonable tax measures when they help sustain essential city services like public safety, community development, and infrastructure, all of which are critical to a healthy local economy and quality livability factors. At the same time, the Chamber is mindful of the growing cost pressures local businesses are facing. The Chamber is hosting meetings and informational programs like Chamber Roundtable to ensure their members are informed and engaged with City officials well ahead of decision points coming before the City Council in Fall.
View the Roundtable Handout from the Fiscal Stability Task Force Report HERE.
“We are getting out in front of you while this is in the idea stage, to give people a chance to inform the conversation.”
– Sean VanGordon, Mayor, City of Springfield
Tuesday’s Roundtable program was the first opportunity for the City of Springfield to put the recommendations of the Task Force out in front of the community – to provide clarity where needed, answer questions, and importantly, get feedback. The freight room at the Springfield Chamber Depot in downtown Springfield was packed with a wide range of voices, from small business owners and operators to public sector leaders, and representing industries across the board including technology, food services, finance, construction, and healthcare.
Attendees at the Roundtable asked about Springfield’s ability to balance deficit reduction with development priorities like Glenwood and Gateway, to which the Mayor pointed out that economic development and fiscal sustainability must go hand-in-hand.
Other topics during the Q&A included oversight and reporting mechanisms, appropriate guardrails on any new tax, regional collaboration, fire levy (which will appear on the ballot in November), and the challenge of communicating complex plans to a city of 60,000. With many of the ideas still in early discussion stages, the Chamber encourages members to stay informed and engaged; beginning with feedback on the Task Force’s recommendations.
Give the City your input! Take the Fiscal Stability Task Force Feedback Survey.
Spanish version available HERE.
The Springfield Chamber would like to thank Mayor VanGordon and Anne Marie Levis for presenting and answering questions from the business community. Thanks to all the attendees who were engaged with this process. The Chamber Roundtable program is made possible by the generosity of the Chamber’s Impact Investors. To find out more, go to the Chamber’s Vision & Impact page.
