Funding & Assessment Fees

OGEC Funding Fee Assessment

The 2007 Legislature passed Senate Bill 10 which enacted law (ORS 244.255) that restructured the funding of OGEC in response to the public's request to remove the agency from the General Fund and create a more stable funding source.

The annual billing for the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) assessment is usually sent out in late September or October.

How are fees assessed?

How the rates are assessed depend on the type of agency. There are two assessment structures, one for state agencies, and one for all other public bodies. Half of OGEC's assessment comes from state agencies, the other half comes from public bodies.

Public Bodies

Local governments, local service districts and special government bodies' fees are based on the Annual Secretary of State Municipal Audit fees. The assessment may vary from year to year depending on the number of entities subject to the Municipal Audit Fee in each of the fee levels, which are determined by the expenditure activity of an entity as defined in ORS 297.485, and the legislatively approved budget for the Commission. Those factors determine the percentage rate used for the assessment.

The 2023-2025 Assessment Calculation Chart illustrates the calculation of the assessment and is based on audit fee payments to the Secretary of State.

State Agencies

State agencies have been assessed in the 2023-2025 Biennium Price List on a per FTE basis at the rate of $35.

How to Pay Assessment Fees

Invoice Questions

If you have questions about an invoice, please contact Lindsey McFadden who administers the collection of the assessment on OGEC’s behalf through the Department of Administrative Services. She may be reached at (971) 900-9757 or via email.

Payment

Make checks payable to:

Government Ethics Commission
Attn: Cashier
155 Cottage St NE
Salem, OR 97301

Automatic Payments

If your company would like to be set up for ACH payments/direct deposit, please email das.billing@oregon.gov for information.

Agency Budget

State agency budgets cover one biennium, or two fiscal years. A biennium runs from July 1 of an odd-numbered year to June 30 of the next odd-numbered year. For example, July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025. The budget development process has three major phases:

Agency Request Budget
Governor's Budget
Legislatively Adopted Budget

Agency Request Budget

Agencies start budget development early in even-numbered years to develop their agency request budget. The budget starts with the cost of maintaining existing programs, then adds, removes, or adjusts the budget with what are called packages. The agency request budget lays out finances and policies for consideration by the Governor.

Governor's Budget

The Governor and her Chief Financial Office review the budget request and use the Governor's priorities, budget policies, and current law to make budget decisions, revising what the agency requested. The Governor's Budget gets presented to the Legislature for consideration.

Legislatively Adopted Budget

During legislative sessions in odd-numbered years the Governor's Budget is presented to the Legislature. Legislative committees review the proposed budget and hold public hearings to hear from the agency and the public. Each agency budget has a budget bill that gets voted on by the legislature. Budget bills that are enacted into law make up the legislative adopted budget. Agencies carry out, or execute, the budget over the two-year budget period. The budget can be adjusted during legislative sessions of even-numbered years or by meetings of the legislative emergency board. The Legislatively Adopted Budget, along with these changes, makes up the Legislatively Approved Budget.