Governor orders state agencies to cut budgets by 9 percent
Published: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 1:30 PM Updated: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 4:01 PM
View full sizeOregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski ordered state agencies to cut their budgets by 9 percent. The reductions are needed to close a $577 million gap in state's 2009-2011 budget.The order was expected, though there was some uncertainty whether the governor would opt for phased in cuts or opt for all 9 percent. The reductions became necessary to close a $577 million gap in state's 2009-2011 budget.
"With limited options to balance the budget, and growing uncertainty about federal assistance, the longer we wait to implement these reductions, the deeper the cuts will have to be to bring the budget into balance," Kulongoski said in a news release.
It means school districts must find $250 million in savings. The Department of Human Services must cut $158 million from programs that help the poor, aged and disabled.
The cuts will bring some state worker layoffs, though the exact number is still unclear.
Some state agencies will get away without making deep cuts.
Earlier this month the Department of Corrections proposed closing three state prisons and freeing nearly 1,000 inmates on its cuts list. It doesn't look like that will happen as state leaders are
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