Oregon lawmakers release budget plan with big cuts

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s top legislative budget writers have unveiled a plan to close a looming $1.8 billion shortfall by making cuts across state government — a plan they hope lawmakers and voters will reject as unacceptable.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports ( http://bit.ly/2k8CZNQ ) that during a Thursday news conference, Sen. Richard Devlin, D-Tualatin, and Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, said the 2017-19 budget proposal could lead to teacher layoffs, university tuition hikes and kicking people off the state’s Medicaid program.

The magnitude of their proposed cuts was not a surprise. Democratic leaders in the Legislature said earlier this month they hoped the $20.6 billion budget would help build political will to overhaul the state’s tax system. In a joint statement, Devlin and Nathanson described their budget as “one we believe Oregonians will reject.”