Today, big and out-of-state corporations released what they call their budget plan — but what we got instead was a single 51-word presentation without any substance or seriousness about investing in Oregon families. The “plan” released today was another delay tactic and an insult to the hard work of thousands of Oregonians, and legislators made that perfectly clear.
“The idea that [the business plan presented today is] the same thing I could’ve found in the business plan in December, even two years ago, without any further details… It does not feel like coming to the table, willing to be a partner in good faith.” – Representative Barbara Smith Warner
“I was getting prepared to ask you questions about your plan, but there is no plan, so that’s not an easy thing to do.” – Senator Chuck Riley
While big business continues to delay, Oregon families are facing real problems. As corporations have paid the lowest corporate taxes in the country, our class sizes have ballooned to the third largest in the country, our graduation rates have fallen to among the worst, and more and more families have been priced out of higher education, affordable child care, and adequate health care.
The status quo is a crisis for Oregon. Just today, the Joint Ways & Means Education Subcommittee passed a K-12 budget that falls $1.7 billion short of the investment that the Quality Education Model calls for. That’s unacceptable. This budget will force schools to cut essential programs, lay off teachers, and continue squeezing up to 50 students in a single classroom.
The Legislature has one core responsibility this session: create a plan to make game-changing investments in schools and critical services. The proposal released by big and out-of-state corporations is not that plan.
Today, big business showed the Legislature that they aren’t serious about building a better Oregon. But we are, and we can’t wait any longer. The time has come for the Legislature to create a real plan that moves Oregon forward and holds big corporations accountable for their fair share in taxes. Let’s make that happen. RSVP today to join us for one of the largest rallies that Salem has ever seen, and let’s show our Oregon leaders that we won’t wait another day for investment.
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