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P/SUNNY Temp: 38 °F Wind: W at 4 mph Monday, February 3, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2003 Failed 28 should send message, voters say Non-essential services should be cut and wasteful spending eliminated, some say By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Anger, frustration and mistrust typify the growing feelings of discontent among some local voters over the way government is being run in Oregon. Rather than a state budget wracked by revenue shortfalls, they see a government that’s too fat and wasting money that could be sent to the needy. "I thoroughly resent the fact that I struggle financially each month while our government officials have no difficulties paying their monthly expenses, as well as spending excessive sums for first-class travel, lodging, etc.," said Vickie Curell of Medford. Curell and others believe that Tuesday’s defeat of Measure 28, a temporary income tax increase, should send a clear signal to legislators that voters are tired of new taxes — even voters in communities that get sizable benefits from government services. "The fact that even they voted against it should tell them (legislators) something," said Curell. Sams Valley resident Flo Blake said she saw tremendous waste while she worked for the state for the past 14 years. In government offices in downtown Medford, expensive new cubicles were installed in recent years to replace perfectly good office equipment, she said. "In fact, most state agencies have those expensive Herman Miller cubicles (computer stations) and furniture from here to Portland," she said. Blake, who is retired, said the Oregon Health Plan is also wasteful, giving babies unnecessary extra coverage. "Are you aware that we are paying insurance premiums for dental care for newborns?" she said. "They are also getting mental health coverage." Even legislators are frustrated by what goes on in Salem, though they disagree over the amount of waste and other perceptions of their constituents. Said Republican Rep. Rob Patridge of Medford, "I think there certainly is waste in government, but I don’t think there’s $310 million of waste." (That’s the amount Measure 28 would have raised for this year.) Still, he thinks the state should end nonpriority programs to help alleviate some of the cuts made to essential services. But grappling with the entire process, from cutting programs to figuring out how much money a department needs, is difficult, he said. "It’s very frustrating to wrap your arms around," Patridge said. Legislators generally set policies while departments run programs, so it is difficult for lawmakers to understand all the detailed workings of the departments. Adding to that difficulty is that some state agencies haven’t planned for the failure of Measure 28, he said. For instance, Patridge said he has been struggling to find out how much the state’s court system would lose in revenue generated from fines when it cuts back to a four-day week. Freshman Rep. Dennis Richardson of Central Point said, "People have lost confidence in our ability to deal rationally with money." State spending has gone up 114 percent during the past 10 years, he said, creating programs that wouldn’t be created in today’s tough economic times. Even during this budget crisis, some state government agencies have added personnel while essential programs are being cut, he said. Richardson said he couldn’t release the names of these agencies, explaining, "If I start pointing departments out, it will chill the likelihood that the department would be willing to come forward and redirect some funds for the people with the greatest needs." Negotiations are under way to create an emergency funding package for programs that help senior citizens and disabled, he said. Richardson, who said it is difficult to figure out how much waste is going on in government, said he will be concentrating his efforts on correcting problems with the Public Employees Retirement System. Democratic Rep. Alan Bates of Ashland said, "Government waste is no better or worse than many businesses." Agreeing that any form of waste should be tracked down immediately, Bates doubts that enough waste would be found to plug the budget hole. In conversations with constituents, he often sees misconceptions about government and occasional lapses in memory about what voters voted on. The Oregon Department of Transportation, which takes frequent hits for using too much state money, is funded by gas taxes. "We can’t touch that money," said Bates. "It’s in a completely separate fund." What voters forgot, he said, is that they voted in 1980 to end guaranteed gas tax funding for the Oregon State Police, making revenues dependent on the general fund. Now, 50 officers are being laid off because there isn’t enough money in the general fund. "The Legislature gets blamed for what the people put in the constitution," he said. Legislators also get accused of creating waste and inefficiency or hiding money from the voters. Bates, who pointed out that he doesn’t travel first class on the state’s dime, said legislators themselves don’t make a tremendous living from their part-time job. "I say what do we have to gain," said Bates, who normally works as a Central Point doctor. "We get $1,200 a month plus per diem while we’re in session." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S