In every biennium since 1993-95, there has been more revenue available to the Legislature at the end of the session than at the beginning. This session will be different. The economy is slowing and state revenue has been reduced by unanticipated lawsuits, a reduction of federal matching dollars and by the income tax cut adopted by the voters in Ballot Measure 88. As a result, this budget required difficult choices and the establishment of clear priorities. My first priority is education, perhaps the single most important and far-reaching investment we can make in Oregon s future.
Public education is the cornerstone of a progressive, democratic society.
From grade school to graduate school to life-long learning, it is vital that Oregon's education system prepare all of our citizens for the challenges that they will face in the 21st Century. This session we will begin to implement the Quality Education Model, and for the first time, the Oregon Legislature will debate a K-12 budget that is directly built around the outcomes expected in the classroom and what it costs to achieve those outcomes. We have also invested in engineering education, biotechnology research, enrollment growth in our community colleges and in expanding geographic access to post-secondary education. Even so, this budget commits fully 57 percent of the General Fund to primary and secondary schools, community colleges and higher education. My second priority is helping children.