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Vote forces a new look at funding for schools Legislators likely will finally resort to seeking new taxes By DANI DODGE Mail Tribune The failure of Measure 13 at the polls means that legislators will have to come up with new funds to keep schools from being devastated, local state legislators said Wednesday. We're talking new taxes. "Either you have money for the schools or close them," said state Rep. Cherryl Walker, a Murphy Republican who was defeated in the primary Tuesday. "Neither is palatable for this district, but by voting down Measure 13, that's the choice. "I find cutting and closing my schools unacceptable - our children need an education." Measure 13, referred to the voters by the Republican-led Legislature, would have siphoned $220 million from the state Education Endowment Fund to rescue schools from recession-caused revenue shortfalls. The measure was defeated in Tuesday's election. Schools already were drastically cutting budgets, laying off teachers and increasing class sizes, but failure of the measure means even deeper cuts. On top of that, recent budget forecasts predict the state will face even worse shortfalls. Gov. John Kitzhaber is expected to call a special session of the Legislature in June to deal with the budget crisis. Sen. Lenn Hannon, an Ashland Republican, will go up to Salem Friday to meet with Kitzhaber and other Senate leaders to begin the process of hammering out some solutions. "We understood we were potentially $450 million short and if Measure 13 went down we would be $670 million short, and today the governor said we would be $808 million short," Hannon said Wednesday. "Needless to say, Sen. (Peter) Courtney (D-Salem) and I were commenting this morning that even though neither one of us drank last night, it felt like you had a hangover when you woke up and saw the numbers." Hannon, the Senate's budget chief and most senior member, said legislators have several tasks ahead of them. First, they must stop the "bleeding" in the system caused by people losing their jobs and creating a negative domino effect in the state's economy. Second, they must develop a plan of attack with input from various interest groups; and third keep all the options for new revenue and additional revenue on the table for discussion. As a last resort, legislators have to look at further budget cuts. State Rep. Rob Patridge, a Medford Republican, said he personally believes that there is a need to raise revenue of some sort, but "whether we can get to 36 votes in the House and 18 in the Senate is a different story." "There are cuts in inefficiencies we need to continue to look at, but it won't solve the (whole) problem," Patridge said. He said there have been several proposals floated, such as increasing tobacco and beer and wine taxes, and a delay in implementing Measure 88 that would change federal income-tax deduction limits. "I think everything needs to be on the table," Patridge said. "If we don't, it will have devastating effects on K through 12 as well as on all the services in the state." But while Walker, Hannon and Patridge all voted for Measure 13 when they cast their ballots, state Rep. Alan Bates, an Ashland Democrat, did not. "Frankly this is what I had hoped would happen," Bates said. "I'm not in a panic mode. The sky isn't falling. People are saying 'Go back and do your job.' They are saying, 'Go back and raise revenue.' "And there's lots of options." No Democrats nor even Republicans challenged Bates, a first-term legislator, in the election. He said, though, the fact he doesn't have anyone running against him is not influencing his decision to be outspoken about raising revenue. "I will not vote for cuts for schools," Bates said. "I didn't last time and won't this time. "We have to step up to the plate ... and raise new revenue and take care of the shortfall. People disagree with that. I understand. But sometimes you have to do the right thing." Walker, who agrees "every option is there to explore," said there is one place where legislators have to stop looking for additional revenue: businesses. "If you try additional burdens on businesses they just have to lay off more people and that ends up costing the state more," she said. Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.