From NW Cable News: “Oregon Braces for Revenue Shortfalls”
From the Zero: “Recession Slices Nearly $1 Billion from Oregon Budget”
From the Statesman Journal: “Feds Can Help States Dig Out of Fiscal Hole”
From OPB Oregon People’s Broadcasting: “Economic Storm Batters Oregon Budget”
Let’s say all of those headlines were true. They’re not, but let’s say for argument’s sake they are. How do they explain the fact that Oregon is receiving $1 billion dollars MORE in state revenue–which it’s spending, AND increasing taxes and fees by $2 billion more? How is that a “revenue shortfall?” How is that a “slice” in the Oregon budget? How is that a “fiscal hole,” exactly? Is this evidence of an “economic storm?” If you’ve got a billion dollars more this biennium, how is that a fiscal hit that needs an additional 2 billion dollar fix? How is a 7% increase in spending revenue “shortfall,” exactly?
The media adopt the governor’s mantra about ‘cuts,’ but he’s talking about reduced amounts of INCREASES as ‘cuts,’ not REAL cuts!
You’ve been duped by the lazy media. And once again the house republicans have done their job for them. While some areas took budget hits, most notably the E board (-82%), veterans affairs (-17%) and the legislature, there doesn’t seem to be a recession in most other areas of government. Here are the numbers:

• Dept of Administrative Services +133% (not a typo)

• Education +4.6% (Student Assistance +47%)

• DHS Overall +18% (DHS Administrative Services +23%)

• Public Safety +24.7%

• Natural Resources +4.4 (DEQ +16%, DOE +15%, LUBA +13.7%)

• DOT +23.7% (where we’re going we don’t need roads)

• Oversight Boards +27.9%

Locally: Cops get 7.5% increase in pay, Portland gets a $140K toilet for drunks, illegal Aliens get more services at the illegal illegal alien day labor center, Portland proceeds apace to spend tens of taxpayer millions on a new ballyard (while still paying the bonds on the upgrade to PGE Park), the quest for bike paths is ongoing and in the plans and you get stuck with the bill.

Government never has a recession. Just you.