Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2002)
Legislative Decisions Impact Local Government Budgets Budgeted State Aid to Local Governments, 1999-2001 Human Resources $417,184,266 □ Economic and Community * Development □Administration $1,058,632 Public Safety $216,359,156 B Natural Resources $4,208,259 $8,846,670,639 ■Total 1999-2001 Budgeted General Fund Expenditures 0 B $777,785 udget crises come and go, but one schools and community colleges. But, once thing that is increasingly true is that that money reaches local governments, it local governments and nonprofit accounts for a quarter of their budgets. As the agencies are affected by what legislators in charts also show, state funds have the greatest Salem decide. Why? That’s where an impor impact on counties' ability to provide human tant portion of the money comes from. services and to protect public safety. “We are fortunate to be part of a Union that has a strong presence at the Capitol,” SEIU Local 503, OPEU Our ability to do our jobs effectively, as Executive Director Leslie Frane well as our pay and benefits, depends on recently told a group of county workers at their candidates’ forum. the adequacy of the tax revenue that funds In 1990, Ballot Measure 5 limited the services we deliver. local governments’ ability to generate revenue locally. So cities and counties across the state have become increasingly dependent on what happens in The impact of Measure 5 on both state and Salem. local government budgets has grown steadily Just how dependent is clear from the since it passed 12 years ago. Oregon’s tax charts on this page. A large portion of the structure, our reliance on the income tax, and state’s budget (almost 7%) goes to local the downturn in the national economy explain government — and that doesn’t count the much of the teeth-gnashing at the state huge portion of the budget that goes to Capitol these days. Under the present system, S increases to one part of the budget must be paid for with cuts to another part of the budget, because Measure 5 and other recent laws make votes for tax increases very difficult. There’s also an absence of political will. Some lawmakers refuse to consider tax increases or even to postpone tax cuts. As SEIU Local 503, OPEU members, we have worked hard to educate ourselves about taxes and public budgets and to tell the voters what we know about them. Whether we are DAS, Higher Ed, local government, homecare or nonprofit employees, we have a tremendous stake in the operation of our state and local governments. Our ability to do our jobs effectively, as well as our pay and benefits, depends on the adequacy of the tax revenue that funds the services we deliver. Often, members and leaders of SEIU Local 503, OPEU are the strongest voices publicly supporting the quality services Oregonians need and deserve. Fortunately, we are prepared to continue speaking up.
