Oregon Senate unveils plan to curb state govt. spending

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon lawmakers have rolled out two proposals aimed at reining in government spending and close the state’s upcoming $1.4 billion deficit by at least $141 million over the next two years.

The cost-containment bills introduced Monday, Senate bills 1067 and 1068, come with just a month or so remaining in the 2017 legislative session.

If fully implemented over the next four years or so, the two cost-curbing bills are estimated to save an estimated $1.1 billion total system-wide, which includes savings for the state’s lottery and general funds.

The savings would come from changes to public employee pensions, health care and other practices, such as eliminating vacant positions that are open for longer than six months and nixing automatic inflation increases to service and supply costs.

House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte), said this of what he called “the modest PERS reform and cost containment package introduced today”:

“The first step in solving any problem is admitting that you have one. In that regard, today’s announcement is a positive development. Whether this package does enough to contain costs over the next decade remains to be seen.”