A report by a new coalition called Invest in Oregon outlines budget improvements to fund critical services and highlights a possible $810.2 million dollar budget shortfall in the 2015 – 2017 biennium for basic services that Oregonians rely on, including critical services for seniors, kids, and public safety.
“While Oregon is finally feeling the impact of an economic recovery, inequitable tax policies, and government inefficiencies could mean yet another biennium of cuts across generations: to services for vulnerable older adults and persons with disabilities and those who provide care, childcare, schools, and rural development programs,” said Jerry Cohen, AARP Oregon. “This report identifies steps the Legislature can take immediately to fill budget holes and avoid cutting the critical services that Oregonians rely on.”
The report identifies crucial investments the Legislature should make to avoid cutting services for our most vulnerable communities, kids, and safe communities, including:
Investing in the Most Vulnerable
Seniors and People with Disabilities $70 million
People with Developmental Disabilities $50 million
Mental Health $94.5 million
Tax Credits for Working Families $20 million
Investing in Our Kids
Funding our Schools $250 million
Quality and Accessible Childcare $60 million
Universities and Community Colleges $100 million
Health Care for All Kids $10 million
Early Learning Investments $40 million
Investing in Safe Communities
Justice Reinvestment $38.5 million
Oregon Public Defense Services $22 million
Corrections $17.2 million
Public Health $8 million
Rural Development Programs $30 million
Total $810.2 million
“Cuts to vital services have left their mark on hundreds of thousands, and Oregon’s economy continues to take a hit through missed federal funds and wasted opportunities for rural development,” said Susan Hamann, President of the Oregon PTA.
“It does not have to be this way – we do not need to accept the shortest school years, threats to quality care for our seniors, or the longest waiting lists for childcare.”
The Invest in Oregon report identifies possible budget improvements to avoid deep cuts to critical services, including reducing wasteful government contracts, taxing e-cigarettes, closing corporate tax loopholes that don’t reach their intended purpose to create jobs or grow the economy, and investing the “Kicker” in critical services. Combined, budget improvements outlined in the Invest in Oregon report add up to more than a billion dollars in savings that could be redirected to funding schools, caring for vulnerable Oregonians, ensuring all Oregon children have access to basic health care, and keeping Oregon roads and communities safe.
Without investments in critical services, Oregon faces another biennium where children lack access to basic health care, seniors and people with disabilities face cuts to critical services, teachers are laid off and kids attend shorter school years with larger class sizes, and Oregon’s public safety system lacks the investments it needs to protect our communities.
Invest in Oregon is comprised of dozens of groups concerned about possible cuts to critical services, including AARP, SEIU, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Health Care Association, Oregon Student Association, Oregon PTA, Upstream Public Health, American Federation of Teachers, AFSCME, Oregon Health Equity Alliance, Children First for Oregon, and Partnership for Safety and Justice. займ без проверки кредитной истории круглосуточно
