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CLEAR Temp: 59 °F Wind: NE at 6 mph Monday, May 19, 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 April 13, 2003 Public sends economic message to Salem — Do something By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune An informal survey of Southern Oregon residents reveals a slight majority believes the state budget crisis results from a lack of funds and not excessive state spending. The poll, a joint effort of Southern Oregon Public Television, the Mail Tribune and the Herald & News of Klamath Falls, indicated most respondents felt something should be done to change the state’s tax system and improve funding of education. Legislators are tackling a shortfall of $2.1 billion in the 2003-05 budget, which would devastate schools, public safety and health services unless more efficiencies can be found in government or new revenue sources are created. Of the 430 respondents, the majority thought the state should have a rainy day fund to help avoid future budget problems. The respondents and local politicians expressed varying opinions about the budget crisis and the survey results. Talent resident and contractor Joi Riley said Oregonians are just plain selfish. "They couldn’t find it in their hearts to vote for measures that would help education or health services," she said. "We want all this stuff but we don’t want to pay for it." Riley thinks the state needs a sales tax to augment revenues and said the funding of education needs to be changed. "We should go back to the old way and take the money out of property taxes instead of income taxes," she said. Tracy Van Hee, an Eagle Point resident, said this state spends too much on education, and he believes the government in general has been wasteful. "I don’t understand why we’re in the position of spending more on schools (than other states) and yet we’re so short," he said. More taxes don’t appear to be the solution, said Van Hee, a purchasing agent for the federal government. "I don’t know if sales tax is going to be the savior that people think it would be," he said. While residents and even politicians generally agree something should be done to save schools, public safety and health services, some legislators aren’t counting on that happening. "Republicans don’t want to raise taxes because that’s their mantra," said Democratic Rep. Alan Bates of Ashland. "The governor doesn’t want to appear to want taxes. It’s a perfect storm — we can’t fix this." Bates, who sits on the Joint Ways and Means Committee, said his fellow Democrats have a plan that would raise revenues and offset many of the draconian cuts slated for the 2003-05 budget cycle. "The Democrats are ready to move revenue right now," he said. "The Republicans are not." Republican Sen. Lenn Hannon of Ashland said that if a similar poll were conducted in the Legislature, it probably would get about the same results. "Some of the people here think it is an expenditure issue, others think it’s a lack of revenues," he said. But a majority of legislators don’t have the stomach to back a plan that would increase spending, he said, preferring to guard programs that benefit their constituents. Republican Rep. Rob Patridge of Medford said the survey results are skewed, reflecting the feelings of a more well-informed group of residents. "These people pay more attention to current events," he said. It’s the population that isn’t as informed about the state’s budget crisis that concerns him more. "We have an obligation to inform them — as leaders — as to how dire the situation is," he said. Patridge, who sits on the Joint Ways and Means Committee, said any discussion of new revenues at this point is premature until the Legislature releases its budget this week. "Democrats always want taxes even if they don’t understand what the budget is," he said. "Alan Bates and the Democrats shouldn’t get an itchy trigger finger." Once the Legislature’s preliminary budget is released, Patridge said it will provide his colleagues — many of whom are new to Salem this year — with a firsthand look at how bad the budget is. "There will be about two weeks of panic," he predicted. Republican Rep. George Gilman of Medford said the failure of Measure 28 more accurately reflects how Oregonians feel about government than this poll. However, he generally agrees with the opinions reflected by the majority of respondents. More efficiencies might be found to help the budget picture, but Gilman believes there isn’t enough to fill the gap, leaving open the possibility of taxes. Gilman said he would vote to immediately provide a full 50 percent of the state budget to education, which would bump its share from the projected $4.6 billion to about $5.3 billion. However, this would mean cutting other programs such as public safety and health services, he said. While he agrees with the idea of a rainy day fund, Gilman said, "If we’d done that in the ‘90s we might not be in the position we’re in now." Check out www.soptv.org for more details about the survey. 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 © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S