Gov. John Kitzhaber released a proposal Monday to alleviate the $830 million state budget shortfall. The proposal would leave rainy day funds, such as tobacco settlement money, untouched.
Kitzhaber’s proposal also avoided a suggestion to raise taxes.
“This is not a ‘Governor’s Recommended Budget,’” Kitzhaber said in a statement. He said the initial proposal was necessary to shock Oregonians into realizing the severity of the situation. The governor issued the plan as a “starting point,” and he wants to have an updated proposal to discuss with the state legislature by Jan. 14.
Under the plan, the Oregon University System would face $84 million in cuts, including:
* Reduce direct support for undergraduate education by 5.1 percent, including support for an engineering school.
* Decrease research funding by 20 percent.
* Reduce campus-based service programs by 20 percent. Examples of campus-based programs include small business development centers and campus-based radio stations.