|
OPINION visit http://www.governor.state.or.us/governor/budget99-01/budget99-01.html During this fall's campaign, almost every candidate for the state House or Senate told us that K-12 education was a top priority. Gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber said so as well. This came as no surprise. In 1998, public-opinion polls ranked education above other government expenditures. Last week, when Gov. Kitzhaber announced his 1999-2001 budget, he struck a similar tone: "Giving Oregonians the education they need to succeed is one of the most critical challenges we face today." It sounded great, but when we looked at the budget, we discovered a huge dissonance between the rhetoric and the numbers. The governor's budget barely includes enough money to accommodate inflation and projected increases in pupil enrollment. It's a disservice for K-12 education across the state; for Portland Public Schools, it's the 991st slash in a death of a thousand cuts. Viewed in the context of the rest of the budget, the K-12 allocation is even less impressive. Kitzhaber's proposed budget gives K-12 schools $4.548 billion--a 4.4 percent increase over last biennium's allocation. This increase is less than one-third the 14 percent increase in Kitzhaber's overall budget. It is less than one-fourth the 19 percent increase given to Corrections (an agency, according to an audit released last week by Secretary of State Phil Keisling, that is building more jail cells than the state requires). It is less than one-sixth the 28 percent increase given to the Oregon Health Plan. Those of us with short memories may have forgotten the budget Salem forced on the Portland School District two years ago. It was so inadequate that it required a onetime bailout from the City of Portland and Multnomah County and a temporary increase in the business-income tax. Still, class sizes climb, and art and music teachers are as rare as a dry basement in December. Now, lacking contributions from these groups, the Portland school district will face a two-year shortfall of $56.7 million. Money isn't everything. Nor is it nothing. The Portland School District should still trim its financial sails, but no amount of frugality can change one thing: The state's most populous--and important--school district needs more help from those in Salem who value investment in public education. If education is truly a priority, fund it accordingly. And be willing to make adjustments for districts--like Portland--where the per-student cost of running schools is justifiably higher. For those who think it arrogant to call Portland the most significant school district in the state, hear us out. For good or bad, this city remains the economic engine that drives the state's economy. Portland's continued health and vigor ought not to be the envy of taxpayers elsewhere in Oregon--it ought to be the goal. Central to that health and vigor is a public-school system that is well run, academically ambitious and adequately funded. Office seekers recognized this during the recent campaign. Now it's time for them to deliver on the pledge.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
