Brown says education funding, reform top legislative issue

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Gov. Kate Brown said boosting funding for Oregon’s struggling education system is her No. 1 priority heading into the 2019 Legislature.

Brown, speaking at The Associated Press Legislative Preview, said Friday “the time is now for us to make significant investments in our education system.”

Brown added a $2 billion education investment package in her proposed state budget, in addition to her base budget. She says property tax limitations adopted in the early 1990s have resulted in decreased funding per student.

The governor, re-elected to her first full term in November, noted that Oregon students spend less time in the classroom than most children in the United States. The average Oregon student spends about 165 days per year in school – and Brown wants to increase that to the 180-day national norm.

The Legislature convenes Tuesday.

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News release from Oregon House Democrats:

Oregon House Democrats

Release “Pledge to Every Oregonian”

House Democrats make pledge to every Oregonian with a focus

on a handful of key policy areas

SALEM – The Oregon House Democrats released their “Pledge to Every Oregonian” today, making a pledge to build a future where every Oregonian has access to the best that Oregon has to offer. The caucus will be focused during the session on investing in public education, improving health care, combating climate change, supporting affordable housing, strengthening our economy, and protecting civil rights.

“Oregon House Democrats represent a broad and diverse cross-section of our state,” said House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson. “The work we have done over recent legislative sessions have expanded opportunity and protected individual rights. This year, we will continue that work to move our state forward.”

The pledge lays out a legislative vision for the House Democrats and communicates the values of the caucus in the lead up to the legislative session that begins in earnest on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

The 2019 agenda, titled “Our Pledge to Every Oregonian,” focuses on these key areas:

Investing in Quality Public Education

Fighting for the Right to Health Care

Combating Climate Change

Supporting Affordable Housing and Safer Communities

Defending Our Environment

Strengthening Our Economy

Ensuring Government is Responsible and Effective

Seeking Access to Justice and Equal Rights for All

“Oregonians spoke loud and clear this year that they want to see transformative change for our state,” said Assistant House Majority Leader John Lively (D-Springfield), who led the process that created the agenda. “We are ready to get to work to build a better future for every Oregonian.”

To read the entire policy agenda document, click here.

News release from Oregon House Republicans:

House Republicans will defend rural Oregon in 2019 Legislative session

GOP will strive to empower Oregon’s families, small businesses and employees

SALEM, Ore — House Republican leader Carl Wilson (R-Grants Pass) today assured concerned Oregonians from small communities throughout the state that Republicans will battle for their interests during the 2019 Legislative session.

Making Oregon prosperous is a key Republican aim, Wilson said at the Associated Press Legislative preview. That may result in attempting to “block or stop those things that we deem dangerous to our economic health.

When legislation is designed for the Portland area, it crushes communities from Bend to Ontario, to McMinnville and Grants Pass. There are too many empty storefronts in rural Oregon, Rep. Wilson said. “We’re trying to do what we can to keep our people working and give them opportunities to move up the economic ladder. We want to make Oregon an affordable place to live and make sure family and friends have prosperous work to engage in.”

Democrats have introduced an array of firearms-related legislation, including SB 501, that overnight could turn many law-abiding gun owners into criminals. Rep. Wilson said Democrats need to understand that rural residents teach gun safety to their children from an early age.

“We believe, in an overarching sense, that there are people who want to disarm us over time and incrementally they are happy to do that,” Rep. Wilson said. “To be restricted in how much ammunition you can buy, it’s laughable in rural Oregon. When people go to a gun range, with the frequency they do, they can burn through 100, 200 or 300 rounds in one afternoon, sighting various rifles.”

Rep. Wilson said a fully funded Career and Technical Education program bolstering career and technology training will do more for public education performance than the additional $2 billion Gov. Kate Brown is seeking.

“What we’re getting at is attendance rate and graduation rate,” Rep. Wilson said. “Will just giving $2 billion extra dollars to the system actually get you the results you want? When we reach fully funded levels for Career and Technical Education, you’re going to see more people showing up at school and graduating, because it’s putting something into their hands that they learn and know and turn into job skills.”