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.