Gov Brown Unveils $23.6 Billion Budget, Likely To Bring New Taxes

PORTLAND, OR – Governor Kate Brown unveiled her proposed budget for the next two years. The $23.6 billion budget makes a priority of items such as education, making sure that Oregonians have health insurance, housing, and funding more than one dozen lawsuits against the Trump Administration over issues such as preventing them from depriving the state of money because of Oregon's status as a sanctuary state.

"We must finally fix our underfunded education system," the proposal says, adding that Oregonians "mist address the long-term structural obstacles to improving our education system."

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Chief among those obstacles is the fact that in 1990, Oregonians passed a measure placing caps on how much property taxes can increase.

According to the state, since then funding per student in Oregon has decreased overall.

Brown's plan to restore the state's education to system to when it was considered "one of our greatest assets," is multi-pronged.

While her proposal doesn't explicitly call for taxes to fund education, it points out that the state is almost $2 billion "short of what districts need for a system of highly effective schools.

"To close this gap. Governor Brown expects the legislature to reform Oregon's revenue system to adequately fund our education system."

Officials say that likely means using taxes.In the November elections, Democrats won super-majorities in both houses, which is what is needed to make tax changes.

Another proposal would provide the funds for districts to expand their school year to 180 days. Currently, kids in many Oregon districts receive cumulatively one year less of education than they would have received in the majority of states by the time that they graduate.

Brown's budget would also provide he money to limit class sizes for kindergarten through third grade to 20 students for kindergarten classes and 23 for other grades.

The governor is also calling for a $2 billion investment in education that goes beyond what's called for in the budget.

Brown is also calling for nearly $3 million for the state to provide prepaid postage for Oregon voters to mail in their ballots, $2 million to provide legal assistance for undocumented immigrants facing deportation, and $2 million to fight the 15 lawsuits that the state has filed against the Trump administration.

There's also $5 million for drug-addicted women during pregnancy and after as wekk as $50 million to help fund operations of homeless shelters and other emergency housing options.

Photo via Governor Brown's Office.