Budget fails to protect schools, troopers & courts

March 05, 2009

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER BRUCE HANNA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 5, 2009
CONTACT: Nick Smith, 503-986-1351

REBALANCE PLAN FAILS TO PROTECT SCHOOLS, TROOPERS AND OREGON’S COURT SYSTEM

SALEM— House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg) today opposed the 2007-09 budget rebalance plan because the Legislature failed to prioritize spending and protect Oregon’s schools, State Troopers and courts. He said the plan raids the 911 fund, the Cultural Trust and other special funds while protecting a $130 million balance in a fund earmarked for public employees’ benefits.

“The rebalance plan breaks the Legislature’s promise to fund a full school year, provide round-the-clock State Police protection, and it fails to keep our courts open,” Rep. Hanna said. “We knew in early 2008 that our economy and tax revenues were declining. Rather than competently managing cuts over the course of the biennium and into the next biennium, the Legislature chose to send our state and local governments and school districts into a budgetary nosedive.”

The rebalance plan will likely force some schools to close early, and it cuts 39 Troopers from the State Police budget. The plan spares some agencies from cuts, but forces courts to close early and harms law enforcement’s ability to prosecute criminals.

“While this plan cuts school days, it does not touch the $130 million sitting in the Public Employee Benefits Board’s ending fund balance” Rep. Hanna said. “While this plan cuts very deep into the Judiciary and several agencies, some agencies are held harmless. While we move backwards on State Police funding, the rebalance plan clings to $312 million in pay raises that were handed out to state managers and employees last year.”

Rep. Hanna said the plan’s raid on special fund balances is an example of why Oregonians have little confidence in the Legislature. He said redirecting special taxes and fees to unrelated programs and services amounts to a “bait and switch” on millions of Oregonians.

“Oregonians pay taxes on their phone bills to support emergency services, yet SB 581 raids the 911 fund to pay for programs and services that have nothing to do with keeping Oregonians safe,” Rep. Hanna said. “Oregonians contribute to the Trust for Cultural Development to support arts and heritage programs in our state, yet SB 581 raids this fund to pay for programs and services that have nothing to do with the arts.”

Rep. Hanna added, “If we were honest with Oregonians, we would replace the phrase ‘Cultural Trust’ on specialty license plates with the words ‘General Fund.’”

Rep. Hanna acknowledged that tougher budget decisions will have to be made in balancing the 2009-11 budget, but the Legislature made the budget crisis worse by poorly managing state finances.

“The Legislature failed to rebalance this budget in a way that could have made the cuts in the next budget less painful,” Rep. Hanna said. “As we move into an even deeper budget crisis, the Legislature must get its priorities straight and spend Oregonians’ tax dollars more wisely.”
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