SALEM- With just over a week to go before the August 26 revenue forecast, the State Economist and Governor Ted Kulongoski let slip that the $577 budget shortfall projected back in May likely will be adding an additional $200 to $500 million to its numbers.

“Given the information available, we estimate that the general fund revenue forecast will be down between $200 and $500 million,” wrote State Economist Tom Potiowsky in a memo sent to Gov. Kulongoski on August 11. “We stress this is a likely outcome and the final numbers could be outside the range.”

SALEM – The allotment reduction strategies of Oregon’s state agencies were made available on the Department of Administrative Services website Wednesday.

The Department of Corrections reduced its budget by $52 million and will close three correctional facilities – the Mill Creek Correctional Facility and the Santiam Correctional Institution in Salem and the Powder River Correctional Facility in Baker City. In addition to layoffs, the cuts will result in the release of 966 minimum-custody inmates and the elimination of “a substantial component of the Alternative Incarceration Program.”

SALEM – The $562 million dollar budget shortfall was a heavy blow dealt to agencies across the state, but it was not the last.

An accounting error resulted in an overestimation of projected revenue from tobacco taxes and resulted in an additional $15 million shortfall in the general fund, explained Mazen Malik, a senior economist for the legislative revenue office, raising the final number to $577 million.

PORTLAND – Buried in the back of TriMet’s latest approved budget summary is a one-page document entitled “Financial Forecast Summary,” which portrays a stable financial future but fails to tell the whole story.

BY SARAH ROSS
SALEM- Oregon’s leaders were caught by surprise Tuesday morning upon learning that the State now must endure a $560 million budget shortfall for the current biennium.
A presentation by Tom Potowski and Josh Harwood from the Office for Economic Analysis showed that the state’s revenues are short $560 million for the 2009-2011 biennium.
Before unveiling [...]

BY SARAH ROSS
WASHINGTON- Congressman Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, released an announcement on Monday, stating that the Oregon Department of Transportation has been granted $384,201 for seat belt safety and enforcement.
The funding will support  the Department’s efforts in implementing and enforcing programs to promote passenger safety, specifically laws requiring the use of seat belts.
“By funding programs that [...]

BY SARAH ROSS
SALEM- Governor Ted Kulongoski announced Tuesday that the State was able to fund 5,800 jobs this quarter with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly known as the stimulus.
The funding for these jobs came in as $150 million over the past three months. Tuesday’s press release also mentioned that the State [...]

BY SARAH ROSS
PORTLAND- In his final State of the State Address on Friday, Governor Ted Kulongoski praised Oregon’s efforts at growing government in a time of recession and warned of future budgetary restraints unless reforms are made.
Those reforms he mentioned in his address included his three step “Reset” plan consisting of stabilizing [...]

BY SARAH ROSS
SALEM- The three Republican legislators representing Salem held a town hall Tuesday to discuss the recent legislative session.
The legislators, Sen. Jackie Winters, R-Salem, Rep. Vicki Berger, R-Salem, and Rep. Kevin Cameron, R-Salem, opened the meeting by discussing their experiences during February’s month-long special session.
Sen. Winters highlighted the legislation she passed, including a bill [...]

SALEM- House Minority Leader, Rep. Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg) reported on Thursday that Oregon had the largest number of new jobless claims out of any state in the Union.
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