The independent., January 02, 2003, Page 10, Image 10

Page 10
The INDEPENDENT, January 2, 2003
Legislators, school officials agree on problems, not on solutions
From page 1
son said “All the rabbits have
been pulled out of the hat.” The
only dissenting opinion was
that of Sen. Charles Starr
(R-Hillsboro), who said that the
consequences “would not be
as dire as most as most would
have you believe.”
Cuts in service directly
related to tax decrease
Rep. Charlie Ringo (D-Bea-
verton) said that he hoped that
the public would see the direct
correlation between cuts in
services in public safety,
schools and human services
and decreases in tax revenues.
Echoing Johnson, Rep. Mark
Hass (D -Portland) said that
while consequences [of inade­
quate funding] were now dire,
the future consequences would
be worse. Hass said that a
strong educational system and
a strong economy go hand-in-
hand. The consensus was that
Oregon has enjoyed a reputa­
tion as having a good school
system in the past but that the
state’s reputation has already
started to slip. Sen. Ryan Deck­
ed (D-Beaverton) said that de­
cline in the quality of public ed­
ucation would be gradual, but
recovery would be very hard
and very slow. Decked said
that Oregonians must “change
the system or accept a lot less
in services and not as good an
education for children.”
Across-the-board cuts
won’t be stopped
When asked if the menu of
across-the-board
cuts
ap­
proved by the last special ses­
sion will automatically be ac­
cepted if Measure 28 fails, leg­
islators agreed that all mem­
bers will attempt to hold
schools harmless but that the
math of the budget was against
com plete
success.
Since
schools receive 42 percent of
the state budget, taking all of
the needed cuts from the re­
maining 58 percent of the
budget could be impossible.
the equalization process was
begun in the last legislative
session when the legislature
agreed to a five-year ESD
equalization plan. Currently,
NWRESD receives $19.2 mil­
lion, compared to Multnomah
ESD’s $35.2 million for almost
the same number of students.
Ringo wants more funds
for Metro schools
“If the legislature was
doing their job...”
While supporting the effort to
reach a state-wide solution to
Rep. Max Williams (R-Ti- the funding crisis Rep. Ringo
gard), voiced the consensus, and Sen. Decked said that, if a
saying “if the legislature was state-wide solution cannot be
doing their job” they should be reached, they would propose a
discussing a package of signifi­ local solution for the metropoli­
cant reforms that would make tan districts. Ringo said that
major structural changes in the during his recent re-election
Oregon tax revenue system.
campaign constituents were
Williams outlined a long-term “begging him to raise their tax­
solution for a new tax model es” and that he thinks the pub­
that has general agreement lic is ready for major change if
among many legislators. This they can be shown that the leg­
could include a decrease in islature is spending the dollars
business and personal income as wisely as possible. Ringo
tax and capital gains tax, a re­ concluded by saying that, if the
opening of property tax limita­ rest of the state prevents pas­
tions and some form of con­ sage (of a new revenue
sumption (sales) tax. The hard source), he “does not think that
part, according to several legis­ the Beaverton-Metro schools
lators, would be to bring the should be dragged down to the
public to accept tax reform by lowest common denominator."
simultaneously enacting broad After the panel discussion, an
budget reforms, including re­ audience member contested
form of the PERS system.
Ringo’s statement, and was re­
Equalization of ESD $$ warded with general applause,
when he said that local taxpay­
should help NWRESD
According to schools lobby­ ers are already paying as much
ist O zzie Rose, Washington as they are able to afford but
and Multnomah Counties “ex­ that all children across the state
port" between 24-26 percent of deserve the same, good edu­
cation.
their tax revenue to support
The final question put to the
poorer districts across the state
as a result of school funding panel of legislators was how
equalization. The final step of district superintendents and
school board members could
be effective during the legisla­
tive session. Beyond the usual
statements that legislators get
information from local people,
legislators urged the audience
to make discussions with their
legislators personal, to take the
time for a phone call or hand­
written note. Rep. Johnson
said, to laughter from several of
her colleagues, that piles of
identical postcards go immedi­
ately to recycling. She urged
people to gather groups togeth­
er in their communities to begin
dialogue with their legislators
and help spread the message.
Johnson also said that it was
very important that school sup­
porters be “responsive and re-
ceptive to others affected” ,
such as corrections and health
and human services. Legisla­
tors told the audience not to
waste time “preaching to the
converted” and to feel empow­
ered to contact legislators out­
side of their district. Rep.
Williams again stated the con­
sensus, by saying that any re­
form package would be a very
difficult sell and that the choic­
es made now would affect the
state for the next twenty years
or more. He said that school
board members have a respon­
sibility to educate the public
about the complications of the
system and the complexity of
education funding.
I TOC
Common School Fund distributes extra $17.7 million
At the end of December, the
Division of State Lands distrib­
uted nearly $25 million from the
Common School Fund, includ­
ing a one-time supplemental
distribution of $17.7 million for
use by K-12 public schools.
The supplemental distribution
was ordered earlier this year by
the third special session of the
legislature.
The funds derive from rev­
enue deposited in the Common
School Fund during the past 50
years from activities such as
waterway leases, permit fees
and fines. The remaining $7.3
million allocation is the regular
distribution, which comes from
earnings on the CSF. County
treasurers will forward the
funds to school districts within
two weeks of receipt.
DSL distributed $7.8 million
from the CSF for schools in
June. By law, the funds are
dedicated to “support and
maintenance
of
common
schools in each school district.”
County population ages 4-20
determine each county’s share
of earnings.
Please see page 11
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