State legislators are preparing for a sustained fight over the proposed budget-balancing measures passed early Monday, and higher education officials are hoping things won’t get worse.
The Legislature’s plan, passed during the third day of a special session, includes $48 million in cuts to the Oregon University System and about $8 million to the University of Oregon. Gov. John Kitzhaber already said he would veto portions of the proposal and call another special session by the end of February.
The Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature have repeatedly sparred over how to pay for the more than $830 million state budget deficit.
The failure of legislators to reach a compromise with the governor worries higher education officials, who think an extended budget battle increases the risk of permanent damage to the state’s already strapped higher education system.
“Somebody is going to have to blink,” said John Wykoff, legislative director for the Oregon Student Association.
Wykoff said he wants a budget agreement before the governor or Legislature possibly decide to make across-the-board cuts, a situation which Wykoff fears could hit the OUS much harder.
OUS Chancellor Joseph Cox echoed that sentiment, pointing out that while the $48 million cut would be hard for the OUS, earlier proposals threatened to cut as much as $80 million.
Monday’s voting fell largely along party lines. Republicans defended the plan, while Democrats criticized it.
“This plan balances the state budget without raising taxes or creating new taxes, and does so in a responsible manner,” House Majority Leader Karen Minnis, R-Wood Village, said in a statement.
State Sen. Tony Corcoran, D-Cottage Grove, called the plan a failure and warned that the fight over the budget could turn into a standoff between Kitzhaber and House Speaker Mark Simmons, R-Elgin.
“It was the biggest failure I have seen in four sessions of the Legislature,” Corcoran said. “Simmons needs to know that the governor doesn’t play chicken.”
Kitzhaber said Monday he will create another budget plan, his third since early January, in an attempt to find a solution with the Legislature.