More surprises: Kulongoski adds 1,451 positions in new budget.
Oregon House GOP 12-4-08GOVERNOR ADDS 1,451 POSITIONS IN 2009-11 RECOMMENDED BUDGET
Oregon lost 14,000 jobs in October. Among the various industrial sectors, manufacturing lost 5,000 jobs. Professional and business serves lost 3,800 jobs. Leisure and hospitality lost 6,800 jobs. Financial activities lost 2,600 jobs. However, the pain doesn’t extend to state government.
The 2009-11 Governor’s Recommended Budget swells the state’s payroll by 1,451 full-time equivalent positions (FTEs). The budget also funds pay increases for state employees and managers, free health benefits and free perks such as a personal concierge service.
The following table details proposed staffing changes across state government, as compared to the 2007-09 Legislatively Adopted Budget:
Proposed New Hires (As Budgeted In FTEs)
Education Area +134.35
Human Resources Area +676.68
Public Safety Area +242.66
Economic/Community Development Area +16.89
Natural Resources Area -15.19
Transportation Area +116.34
Consumer and Business Services Area +40.06
Administration Area +76.32
Legislative Branch Area +2.09
Judicial Branch Area +161.3
2009-11 GRB Total +1451.5
Education Area
Community Colleges +3.67
Department of Education +4.19
Department of Higher Education +129.07
Student Assistance Commission -4.08
Teacher Standards and Practices +1.5
Human Resources Area
Blind Commission -2.64
State Commission on Children and Families -2.75
Department of Human Services +663.24
Long Term Care Ombudsman +0.5
Office of Private Health Partnerships +17.41
Psychiatric Security Review Board +0.92
Public Safety Area
Department of Corrections -45.02
Criminal Justice Commission -2.75
District Attorneys No Change
Department of Justice +28.33
Military Department +18.7
Oregon Youth Authority +53.68
Parole and Post Supervision +.67
Oregon State Police +110.27
Public Safety Standards and Training -18.01
Economic/Community Development Area
Economic and Community Development +8
Employment Department +24.04
Housing and Community Services -15.22
Veterans Affairs +.007
Natural Resources Area
Department of Agriculture -17.18
Department of Energy +28.5
Environmental Quality +9.97
Fish and Wildlife +4.62
Department of Forestry -47.73
Geology and Mineral Industries +0.17
Land Conservation and Development -5.86
Land Use Board of Appeals No Change
Department of State Lands +5.71
Marine Board No Change
Parks and Recreation Department 6.29
Water Resources Department -3.68
Watershed Enhancement Board +4
Transportation Area
Department of Aviation +2
Department of Transportation +114.34
Consumer and Business Services Area
Board of Accountancy No Change
Board of Chiropractic Examiners No Change
Board of Clinical Social Workers +1
Construction Contractors Board +4.24
Dept. of Consumer and Business Services +24.01
Health Related Licensing Boards +1.3
Bureau of Labor and Industries -3.5
Board of Prof. Counselors and Therapists +1
Board of Nursing +6
Oregon Board of Dentistry No Change
Oregon Health Licensing Agency +3.6
Oregon Medical Board +2.7
Board of Pharmacy -1.5
Board of Psychologist Examiners +0.42
Public Utility Commission +3
Real Estate Agency -0.99
Board of Tax Practitioners -1
Administration Area
Dept. of Administrative Services +40.24
Employment Relations Board No Change
Governor’s Office -0.56
Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office No Change
Oregon Government Ethics Commission +3.21
Oregon Liquor Control Commission +7.04
PERS -33.33
Racing Commission No Change
Department of Revenue +48.68
Secretary of State +7
State Library +0.79
Oregon State Treasury +3.25
Legislative Branch Area
Indian Services No Change
Legislative Administration +2.5
Legislative Assembly No Change
Legislative Counsel +0.09
Legislative Fiscal Office -0.5
Legislative Revenue Office No Change
Judicial Branch Area 161.3
Judicial Department +145.48
Judicial Fitness and Disability No Change
Public Defense Services Commission +15.82
Education Area +134.35
Human Resources Area +676.68
Public Safety Area +242.66
Economic/Community Development Area +16.89
Natural Resources Area -15.19
Transportation Area +116.34
Consumer and Business Services Area +40.06
Administration Area +76.32
Legislative Branch Area +2.09
Judicial Branch Area +161.3
2009-11 GRB Total +1451.5
Education Area
Community Colleges +3.67
Department of Education +4.19
Department of Higher Education +129.07
Student Assistance Commission -4.08
Teacher Standards and Practices +1.5
Human Resources Area
Blind Commission -2.64
State Commission on Children and Families -2.75
Department of Human Services +663.24
Long Term Care Ombudsman +0.5
Office of Private Health Partnerships +17.41
Psychiatric Security Review Board +0.92
Public Safety Area
Department of Corrections -45.02
Criminal Justice Commission -2.75
District Attorneys No Change
Department of Justice +28.33
Military Department +18.7
Oregon Youth Authority +53.68
Parole and Post Supervision +.67
Oregon State Police +110.27
Public Safety Standards and Training -18.01
Economic/Community Development Area
Economic and Community Development +8
Employment Department +24.04
Housing and Community Services -15.22
Veterans Affairs +.007
Natural Resources Area
Department of Agriculture -17.18
Department of Energy +28.5
Environmental Quality +9.97
Fish and Wildlife +4.62
Department of Forestry -47.73
Geology and Mineral Industries +0.17
Land Conservation and Development -5.86
Land Use Board of Appeals No Change
Department of State Lands +5.71
Marine Board No Change
Parks and Recreation Department 6.29
Water Resources Department -3.68
Watershed Enhancement Board +4
Transportation Area
Department of Aviation +2
Department of Transportation +114.34
Consumer and Business Services Area
Board of Accountancy No Change
Board of Chiropractic Examiners No Change
Board of Clinical Social Workers +1
Construction Contractors Board +4.24
Dept. of Consumer and Business Services +24.01
Health Related Licensing Boards +1.3
Bureau of Labor and Industries -3.5
Board of Prof. Counselors and Therapists +1
Board of Nursing +6
Oregon Board of Dentistry No Change
Oregon Health Licensing Agency +3.6
Oregon Medical Board +2.7
Board of Pharmacy -1.5
Board of Psychologist Examiners +0.42
Public Utility Commission +3
Real Estate Agency -0.99
Board of Tax Practitioners -1
Administration Area
Dept. of Administrative Services +40.24
Employment Relations Board No Change
Governor’s Office -0.56
Oregon Advocacy Commissions Office No Change
Oregon Government Ethics Commission +3.21
Oregon Liquor Control Commission +7.04
PERS -33.33
Racing Commission No Change
Department of Revenue +48.68
Secretary of State +7
State Library +0.79
Oregon State Treasury +3.25
Legislative Branch Area
Indian Services No Change
Legislative Administration +2.5
Legislative Assembly No Change
Legislative Counsel +0.09
Legislative Fiscal Office -0.5
Legislative Revenue Office No Change
Judicial Branch Area 161.3
Judicial Department +145.48
Judicial Fitness and Disability No Change
Public Defense Services Commission +15.82
Oh that's good. We need more meddling bureaucrats dreaming up new regulations and increasing fees.
When times are bad, the government needs to grow in order to accommodate a growing demand for its services.
Of course, this has a sort of heads-I-win-tails-you-lose aspect to it. But what could make more sense than to continue to invest vigorously in the one portion of the economy which always grows? This investment will surely have a trickle down effect on the rest of the economy - someday. That, at least, is the theory.
Citizens of Oregon, ignore the current financial problems in New York and California. Their problems are obviously the result of inadequate investment in government growth. If their taxpayers weren't so chintzy, both would be shining examples of how government growth can be boundless.
When times are bad, the government needs to grow in order to accommodate a growing demand for its services."
Makes sense to me, it's actually true. That's why it's crazy not to have a more systematic, better funded reserve fund. It's called responsible financial management.
The gratuitous reference to California and New York is just that. Oregon's finances are in far better shape than those places. Maybe not everything is perfect here, but by comparison, the state of Oregon is a paragon of financial responsibility.
Gov. Ted and his legislative friends intend to follow the California and New York taxing and spending models. Oregon will end up in the same financial straits as its new role models.
Forget whatever assessment you now have of Oregon's financial condition. We are heading down a new road - with California and New York "leading" the way. The only question is: how long will it take for Oregon to catch up to them?
I guess by your expressed logic (which I assumed to be sarcasm) that or economy would soar if we expanded government to the point where there was nothing else left. Then government could just fund itself. Unfortunately, goverments only income is taxes collected from the private sector and the expansion of government has brought us to the point we are at now: the brink of national bankruptcy.
I think the resistance to higher taxes in Oregon, and the initiative system, will limit the ability of the Democrats to expand government here. (I'm well aware that if they could get away with it, the Democrats would raise taxes like crazy; but then, I think they'd have a much harder time getting elected.)
I think Kulongoski is asking for trouble with his automobile fee proposals.