The Oregon Legislature’s powerful Joint Committee on Ways and Means has announced the dates of its 2025 community budget meetings, and one of the sessions will be held in Astoria on Friday, March 28.

The committee’s hearing is scheduled to run from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Liberty Theatre. People interested in testifying before the committee can register at this website: tinyurl.com/8afd98b3

The Astoria hearing is one of six to be held around in Oregon over the next two months as the 2025-2027 state budget begins to take shape. Individuals interested in testifying before the committee should sign up in advance for the hearing they plan to attend.

This year will be the first time since at least 2005 a community budget hearing has occurred on tribal lands when the committee visits Warm Springs on April 4. The April 16 public hearing, scheduled for Salem, will prioritize virtual testimony so everyone in the state has an opportunity to testify on their budget priorities.

In the days before the first community budget hearing on March 22, the co-chairs will release their budget framework, which will outline the state’s budgetary outlook and what resources might be available to use.

Legislators are constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget every two years.

“We have limited resources, many worthy projects and programs, and significant uncertainty due to actions by the federal administration,” said Sen. Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton), co-chair of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. “I’m looking forward to hearing directly from Oregonians about what our state budget should prioritize.”

Here are details about the other hearings:

• Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. to noon, Mount Hood Community College, College Theater, 26000 SE Stark St., Gresham.

• Friday, April 4, 5 to 7 p.m., Old Warm Springs Elementary School, 1112 Wasco St., Warm Springs.

• Friday, April 11, 5 to 7 p.m., Eastern Oregon University, Hoke Union Building 339, 1 University Boulevard, La Grande.

• Wednesday, April 16, 5 to 7 p.m., Oregon State Capitol Building, Hearing Room F, 900 Court St. NE, Salem. Virtual testimony will be prioritized at this hearing.

• Friday, April 25, 5 to 7 p.m., Klamath Community College, Building 4 Commons, 7390 S. Sixth St., Klamath Falls.