OFFICIALS REACT TO REVENUE FORECAST

May 20, 2020 9:45 a.m.
The State Economic and Revenue Forecast is out and shows Oregon staring at a $2.7 billion budget drop in expected revenue for the current budget period.
In reaction, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said “From the outset of this pandemic, its been clear that the need for critical state services would far outstrip our resources as a state”. She said working families are counting on state government to deliver COVID-19 emergency response efforts, while also ensuring public health, public safety, housing assistance, food assistance, unemployment insurance, and so many more essential state government functions continue uninterrupted. Brown said tough choices are ahead as the state needs to tighten its belt. She said she is working with legislative leaders to preserve critical essential state services, find efficiencies, and prepare for potential budget cuts. Brown said the budget gap is too large to bridge without additional Congressional action.
Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod from Stayton, said “Governor Brown’s insistence to keep Oregon’s economy shutdown despite flattening the curve weeks ago, has cost Oregon billions of dollars in revenue, impacting generations to come”. He said the revenue loss could have been mitigated if the Governor “had been a leader and opened our state weeks ago”.
House Republican Leader Christine Drazan from Canby, said “the best approach going forward is for the legislature to do all we can to support a full economic recovery for hardworking Oregon families across this state, who were disproportionately harmed by the governor’s executive shutdown orders”.