The Legislative Assembly finds that:

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(1) The development, acquisition and construction of light rail systems and their attendant rights of way, equipment and facilities in the urban and metropolitan areas of the State of Oregon do and will accomplish the purpose of creating jobs and furthering economic development in Oregon by, among other advantages:

(a) Providing an important element of the public infrastructure that provides the basic framework for continuing and expanding economic activity in this state;

(b) Increasing the economy and efficiency of public transportation, improving the attractiveness of urban and metropolitan areas to new businesses and supporting the operations and prosperity of existing businesses in those areas by making those businesses more accessible to their customers and employees;

(c) Alleviating the inefficiencies of congestion and crowding associated with, and reducing the burdens of expansion and maintenance of, existing public transportation systems and facilities, as well as reducing energy consumption and air pollution fostered by the use of motor vehicles; and

(d) Creating employment opportunities in urban and metropolitan areas through the funding of projects for the development and construction of the light rail systems.

(2) Additionally, the provision of state and local moneys for the proposed Westside corridor light rail project identified in ORS § 391.120 (2)(a) will encourage the contribution of otherwise unavailable federal matching grant moneys, the use of which will, for the reasons stated in subsection (1) of this section, forward the purpose of creating jobs and furthering economic development in Oregon.

(3) Based on the legislative findings described in this section, the use of net proceeds from the operation of the state lottery for the support of the Westside corridor light rail project, as provided in ORS § 391.130, is an appropriate use of state lottery funds under section 4 (3), Article XV of the Oregon Constitution and ORS § 461.510.

(4) It is the intent and policy of the Legislative Assembly to insure the funding and support of the Westside corridor light rail project identified in ORS § 391.120 (2)(a) in the manner provided in ORS § 391.130 to 391.150, to the extent required for the state to realize the benefit of all federal matching funds made available for that project, and to the extent necessary to complete the project. [1991 c.575 § 1]

[1979 c.586 § 1; 1981 c.262 § 1; repealed by 2012 c.107 § 100]