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Kitzhaber plan hits schools hard The governor's budget cuts would leave Jackson County education with $20 million less next year By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune To balance Oregon's faltering budget, Gov. John Kitzhaber proposed Monday lopping off more than $20 million from Jackson County schools next year as part of a sweeping statewide $830 million reduction package. Every sector of state government would be affected, with human services taking a 6.6 percent hit and public safety losing 7.66 percent. Examples of cuts under Kitzhaber's plan EDUCATION Decrease state aid to local schools by $304 million, about 6 percent of the two-year $5 billion budget. Reduce aid to the state's 17 community colleges by $38 million, about 8 percent. Cut money for state universities by $84 million, about 10 percent. SOCIAL SERVICES Eliminate a program that subsidizes health insurance for low-income families. Reduce dental benefits for 190,000 adults under the Oregon Health Plan, including increasing copays. Reduce income levels to qualify for Health Plan coverage for children and pregnant women. Eliminate a discount prescription drug program that aids 100,000 senior citizens. End Project Independence that helps 3,500 senior citizens remain at home instead of going to nursing homes. Cut DARTS (Day and Residential Treatment Services), which allows emotionally disturbed children to get psychiatric day care. Cut off state funding for school-based health centers. PUBLIC SAFETY Reduce juvenile corrections center beds by 150. Delay opening two units at the new Coffee Creek Correctional Center at Wilsonville and one unit at Snake River Correctional Institution at Ontario. Consolidate seven State Police regional crime labs into four. Education, which makes up 56.1 percent of the state's $12 billion budget, would lose $426 million in anticipated revenues next year. Kitzhaber said the cuts are necessary because of a $700 million decrease in state revenue resulting from the recession as well as a $130 million increase in medical costs at the Department of Corrections and more demand for social services by Oregonians. The governor hopes to release another budget proposal next week that calls for additional revenue sources that would partially offset these reductions. For school districts, Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University, this proposed level of revenue cuts would increase class sizes, decrease staff and eliminate programs. In the 2001-2002 fiscal year, Jackson County schools suffered combined shortfalls of $7 million, resulting in the loss of 184 positions. Given the program cuts unveiled by the governor, about $16 million in revenues - or about $470 per student - would be taken away from the anticipated budgets of Jackson County schools in 2002-2003. "The quality of K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) education is at stake here," said Rogue River schools Superintendent Charles Hellman. "The governor's proposed rebalanced budget will be devastating to schools next year if additional revenue is not part of the plan." Hellman, like other superintendents in Jackson County, warned that these kinds of cuts would produce severe reductions in staff and an increase in class size. "Our priority to provide excellent services to students will be undermined by this type of funding," he said. The governor's plan calls for 6 percent cuts to K-12, 8 percent to community colleges and 10 percent to universities. Kitzhaber cautioned, "I believe that making this level of cuts is neither responsible nor politically possible. This should be viewed more as a starting point for the debate." The governor anticipates releasing a more balanced budget package by Jan. 14 that could include plans for new revenues or the use of one-time money as a stopgap measure. Many school officials and lawmakers doubt the Legislature will be able to muster the support for new taxes, particularly since this is an election year. Kitzhaber warns that the state faces ongoing $1 billion shortfalls until the 2005-2007 budget, which means any short-term revenue solutions will only delay inevitable cuts. He also said that one-time funds that could be used to offset the deficit only amount to about $200 million. While Jackson County's nine school districts stand to lose about $16 million, RCC's revenues would drop $1.6 million and Southern Oregon University's would decrease by $4 million. If cuts of this magnitude were made, RCC President Rick Levine said, "Very possibly, we could wind up with a tuition increase to offset that." The school, which serves Josephine and Jackson counties, also would look at possible changes to administrative staffing to save money. "We froze our administrative salaries last year," said Levine. RCC cut $3.4 million from its budget last year as expenses outpaced revenues. Levine said school administrators are now planning on cuts of at least 4 percent to the $25 million annual budget in hopes that the state generates new revenue sources. Ron Bolstad, vice president of administration and finance at SOU, said the university prepared budget plans counting on cuts of 2 to 10 percent. "This is the worst-case scenario we were planning for, but it is not a surprise," he said. A 10 percent cut would force cuts in staff, he said. Like other administrators, Bolstad hopes the governor's more balanced budget plan next week will ease the financial wallop to education. Even if one-time money is thrown at the problem, Bolstad said, "Sooner or later, it needs to be addressed." Kitzhaber's recommended cuts include a 20 percent reduction in support for campus-based public radio stations in the state's university system. Ron Kramer, general manager of Southern Oregon University's Jefferson Public Radio, said Monday he hadn't seen details of the proposed cuts. "But it wouldn't be good," he said. JPR gets about $200,000 through the state Department of Higher Education, so the Ashland-based station could stand to lose about $40,000 or more. But Kramer said the loss would grow through a "ripple effect" since other sources, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, base their grants on what the state provides. "We'd have to sit down and decide the best course of action," Kramer said. Central Point schools Superintendent Candace Manary anticipates class sizes would increase at all grade levels as the district cuts back on personnel. "Obviously it's serious," she said. "We've brainstormed some ideas but we don't have an exact number. ... It's very preliminary at this point." But with cuts of more than $2 million, Manary said elementary schools could see the average class size increase from 22 to 27, and some high school classes could increase to 30 students or more. Medford schools Superintendent Steve Wisely agreed, saying, "I do believe it will be disastrous." With the funding question still in flux, he couldn't say how many positions would be affected. "It may be that the number of positions needed to be cut may exceed vacancies in a normal year," he said. Medford school board member Peggy Penland said, "The schools are slowly bleeding to death. I don't want to see the crisis happen, but it sometimes takes blood for people to see the problem." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Aid cuts will add to suffering of weakest, say local officials By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Gov. John Kitzhaber's proposed cuts to programs that aid the state's most vulnerable residents - including the poor, the elderly and children - sounded a renewed alarm Monday among local officials who fear things will only get worse. "In my memory, it rivals the 1981-'82 cuts," said Arnie Green, director of Medford's Community Works and a 30-year veteran of state social services. "Even the Measure 5 cuts didn't do this kind of damage." Kitzhaber announced a 6.6 percent cut that would reduce the $2.59 billion state human services budget by $172.3 million. Targeted programs include those that serve poor pregnant women, low-income dental patients, emotionally disturbed children, domestic violence victims and independent senior citizens. "The governor was very able today in showing folks that this is just the start," said Hank Collins, Jackson County health and human services director. "In the next two-year budget cycle, the problem is going to grow and grow and grow." Collins said he was particularly surprised at a proposal to reduce eligibility for pregnant women and children on the Oregon Health Plan from 180 percent of the federal poverty level to 130 percent. "Pregnant women in this community have always been a priority," he said. Other proposed cuts were less surprising but equally dismaying, human services officials said. Plans to cut programs such as DARTS (Day and Residential Treatment Services), which allows emotionally disturbed children to get psychiatric day care, and Oregon Project Independence, which allows seniors to remain in their homes, drew criticism from operators. "I think it's very disturbing. I think a number of people will be hurt in our two counties by this," said Don Bruland, director of senior and disabled services for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. "These people won't just go away, they'll be at a higher level of care." Tom Gunderson, director of the Southern Oregon Child Study and Treatment Center, which runs the DARTS program, was resigned. "I'm telling people, 'Don't hold your breath,'" he said. "I'm not going to whine about that program at this stage other than to say there's not that much money there." Funding for new initiatives such as some $2.5 million for treatment of victims of domestic violence may be eliminated. Green, a longtime advocate for victim aid, was disappointed to learn the new funds - the first general funds ever dedicated to the issue - were on the block. "It's taken work over three legislative terms," he said. "It's a real setback." The financial solutions likely will lie in a combination of cuts, new revenues and restructuring of the state's tax system, social service leaders said. "We know that there will be a vocal group that will say, 'No, simply cut,' but is that in fact the will of the people?" Bruland said. "I don't think that's the kind of state most of the public wants." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.