Economic growth and school funding

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The days keep flying by in Salem, as we approach our deadline for adjournment. There are now just about three weeks left until the target set for the end of the 2013 Legislative Session.

It’s been a busy and productive five months, and we continue to complete the tasks from the “to do” list we had in hand as we came into session. 

Putting dollars back into the classroom

Last Friday, the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee approved the base budget for public schools.  The budget is a $1 billion dollar additional investment in K-12.  After more than five years of cuts to teachers and school days, it’s long past due for us to take such significant action for Oregon school children.  

The school funding budget is now in the Senate.  I look forward to their passage of the bill so we can pass it in the House.  It truly will be time to celebrate once we begin reinvesting in education.

Good news on Oregon’s economy

Oregon’s economic growth is among the strongest in the country.   News from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis and the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis is that Oregon’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is the third strongest in the U.S.  Only North Dakota and Texas have faster growing economies.  This is the latest in a steady stream of good economic news we’ve received in Oregon, after last month’s positive Economic and Revenue Forecast showed an increase in projected state revenue and strengthening economic indicators.  Read more on the Office of Economic Analysis’s blog. 

Putting Oregonians back to work

While the economy is improving, Oregon’s economic recovery is still happening slowly in certain sectors and unevenly across the state.  In the final weeks of the session, we will move forward a number of policies and investments to help support small businesses and get more Oregonians back to work.  I’m focusing on maximizing the state’s ability to issue bonds to update and build new infrastructure to put people to work in the short term and strengthen our economy for the long term.  We’re also working on efforts to improve opportunities for locating manufacturing and other industries in Oregon, as well as ensuring we have a well-trained workforce prepared for the changing economy.

In the District

Casey Parks, who covers North Portland for The Oregonian, recently wrote a great article about Ernesto Aguilar and his efforts to help middle school students think about college by bringing them to Portland State University for an all-day conference.  Inspiring students to think big is a wonderful thing. Thank you, Ernesto.