Today, we get news of two of THE MOST BASIC & NECESSARY things to a sound future for this state and the House GOP continues to vote down both of them.
#1 School Funding - The Dems are proposing at $5.4 billion, the GOP is countering at $5.1 As someone so sensitively noted over on the House Dems Blog, that is "only 6%"...well, 6% of the 1/2 million Oregon school kids is around 35,000, thanks. Shall we just draw them by lottery for no services and then use the provided funds to adequately educate the group that remains?
#2 Rainy Day Fund - today's Press Release from the House Democratic Office
House Joint Resolution 53 would have proposed an amendment to establish the Oregon Reserve Fund, which would operate without the limitations imposed on the present Education Stability Fund.
Money for the fund would come from the half the amount raised by the capital gains tax, as well as half of the ending balance of the state’s general fund.
The proposed amendment to the Constitution would go to the voters at the next general election, and if approved, would take effect in 2007.
So what did the Republicans do with the concept of creating a Rainy Day Fund? Leadership has denied it a hearing in the House.
I don't know about what Karen Minnis said when SHE was convincing people to vote for her, but MY opponent voiced the idea that a Rainy Day fund was a decent idea - looking to appear all moderate in moderate Medford. And he was the voice of experience and some such other garbage, despite the fact that he provided ZERO policy details anywhere in any campaign lit, despite the fact that his legislative experience was an appointment to a seat entirely during a recess, and despite the fact that when he DID offer something of substance, it was largely inaccurate or anecdotal and counter to data trends.
Of course to figure out how full of it the elected GOP seems to be, we need an informed and aware electorate. How very convenient that underfunding schools will produce exactly NOT that.
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