Oregon House Approves Legislative Budget Cut

The Oregon House, recognizing that belt-tightening is in everyone's future, has voted to cut its budget for the final four months of the fiscal year:

The Oregon House today passed HB 5015, cutting $4.3 million from the legislative budget, or 25% of the budget for the final four months of the 2007-2009 biennium. The Legislature is currently considering cuts of up to $800 million for the entire state budget and has asked all agencies to provide a list of cuts. Those cuts are now being prioritized in the Joint Ways and Means Committee.

As those cuts are being considered, said House Speaker Dave Hunt, the Legislative Assembly has done the work identifying its own cuts and moved them forward on a 54-0 vote. The bill now moves to the Oregon Senate where it is expected to pass easily....

The reductions come from savings accrued from the capital construction project, reductions in office budgets for the Speaker, Senate President and the Majority and Minority caucus offices, and savings in printing costs as the Legislature continues the move to go paperless.

“We will also freeze legislative pay by rejecting the recommendations of the Public Commission on the Legislature,” said House Majority Leader Mary Nolan. “And we will freeze the salaries of staff that works for the Legislative Assembly for the next year.”

Discuss.