Governor’s budget stares down ‘hard choices,’ protects education

Kulongoski says his 2009-11 plan invests in the future, but requires agencies to make cuts

The Portland Tribune, Dec 1, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Monday morning that his proposed $15.8 billion 2009-11 general fund budget would force “hard choices” on some services but would protect education and invest in new “green” technologies.

At the same time, Kulongoski said he wanted the proposed budget to create hope, confidence, certainty and reassurance for Oregonians facing an uphill economic battle as the nation tumbled into a recession.

“This budget will require state government to decide what we do and how we do it,” the governor told reporters during a morning briefing on the proposed budget. “We must invest in the future, even if it means making painful disinvestments in the present. In that sense, my budget is a visionary statement of where I want to lead Oregon.”

The $15.8 billion general fund is about 27 percent of the state’s total $54 billion 2009-11 budget. The general fund is flexible money that is not dedicated to specific purposes.

Kulongoski’s proposal is slightly higher than the 2007-09 budget. The entire proposal must be adopted by the Legislature, which convenes in January.

Republican leaders quickly jumped on the proposals, saying the Legislature would have to “identify the core functions of government and sustain the programs and services that are most important to Oregonians” and pay for those.

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