| Oregon Legislative Assembly Office of the Senate President Office of the House Speaker |
News Release
Contact: Robin Maxey Geoff Sugerman December 15, 2010
(503) 986-1605 (503) 986-1210
robin.maxey@state.or.us geoff.sugerman@state.or.us
Bipartisan Emergency Board To Continue
2009-2011 Rebalance Action Thursday
(SALEM) – The bipartisan Legislative Emergency Board will approve the next phase of the legislature’s plan to bring the 2009-11 budget back into balance on Thursday. Actions include appropriating $10.1 million for the Department of Corrections; $9.9 million for community corrections; and funding critical programs such as Head Start and services to elderly Oregonians and people with disabilities.
Last summer, following a declining revenue forecast and the Governor’s announcement of across the board cuts to all state agencies, legislative leaders and the Governor agreed on a plan to preserve a limited amount of services using state reserves, federal funds and savings from additional cuts taken by the Legislature, the Secretary of State and the court system.
Currently, the state has approximately $386 million in resources. The December E-Board actions will use $160 million – including $123.3 million in Federal FMAP funds – for the Department of Corrections, the Oregon Youth Authority, senior in-home care, Employee Related Day Care, Head Start and mental health services. In February, the Legislature will access $35.5 million from the Education Stability Fund to protect the remainder of the current school year.
“Today’s actions continue our efforts to make the necessary cuts to balance the budget while still protecting critical services such as public safety, community corrections, education and help for Oregon’s struggling families,” said E-Board Co-Chair and House Speaker Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas County). “We are committed to protecting a full school year and to ensuring that Oregonians receive the critical services they need while still making the cuts necessary to rebalance the 2009-2011 budget.”
“The actions of the Emergency Board this week maintain the Legislature’s commitments to keep the gates of Oregon’s prisons closed; the doors of our schools open; and provide critical services for senior citizens, the disabled and working families who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem/Gervais/Woodburn) “This is the next step. When we return to session in February we will complete the 2009-11 rebalance by following through on the plans we have developed since the first dramatic revenue drop in May.”
Final actions on the 2009-2011 budget will take place during the 2011 Legislative session, as it always does. Those actions will include K-12 funding of $35.5 million, additional funding for Corrections and formal legislative approval of cuts to the Legislative branch, the Secretary of State’s office and the Judicial Department.
Click here to see the complete list of E-Board action in December and the Legislative steps required to complete the rebalance plan in February.