Oregonians Held Hostage

For too many years Oregon politicians at every level have held Oregonians hostage using schools and essential services. “If you don’t pass this tax measure, we the ruling elite are just going to have to cut teachers and police, we will have no choice”, It works every time. No more. Now we have a prioritized list of services the state provides. When we’re short of funds, we cut from the bottom of the list, not the top.

“Well, uh uh, we can’t do that because the funds are in different accounts and we can’t take from those accounts and use them for schools and important things like police.” (Tell that to Social Security) Well guess what? We The People are in charge and we’re going to change that. So stop holding that over our heads because it’s not going to work anymore. We’re now wise to your little games.

Here’s where we start. These agencies are less important than schools and other essential services and will be cut before teachers and police officers if I am Governor. Oregonians have been made fools of for too long. Go look at the state budget for yourself and tell me there’s no other place to cut rather than our teachers. Below is not the entire budget.

Consumer and Business Services: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 21.9%
$1,067,892,695

Economic Development:
$4,733,654,135

Natural Resources: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 4.5%
$1,643,646,999

Transportation: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.35%
$4,340,034,464

Commission for the blind:
$14,766,173

Administration: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 17.7%
$9,659,590,181

Judicial Branch: Budget increase from 2007-2009 – 23.17%
$761,602,271

Legislative Branch:
$89,184,923

Total: $21,548,769,570 (21.5 billion dollars)