Just remember the Democrat mantra - “…don’t let a disaster go to waste - it’s a perfect time to print more money for Democrats…”. During Covid, the Democrat majority in Congress approved mega $$$ to update school ventilation systems. Were they updated? Not a chance. That money likely landed in the general fund and used to temporarily shore up PERS, severely in the red, and other liberal targets (pronouns, name changes, CRT, etc.). Ventilation upgrades, yeah right.
Recently a WSJ article reported on the bizarre approach that a guidebook from the League of Oregon cities promotes, which is how to say YES to new taxes:
After a punishing 20-30% compounded change in the price level (or value of our currency) coupled with the failures of progressive programs, Oregon taxpayers are wary of any new taxes. Like the failed democratic policies from the last national election, this publication underscores how disconnected it is from the taxpayers in this state. In addition to higher prices, alternative media like 'oregonroundup' have shown the wasteful spending in Portland with little or no improvements in outcomes, whether homelessness or educating our children. What should be foremost on taxpayers' minds is recalling the governor and sending a spike through the political beast that feeds on these Federal funds.
What taxpayers demand is greater efficiency and productivity, accountability for the failures in educating our students and prioritization of existing taxes. The unsustainable fiscal disaster at the federal level will be resolved one way or another, preferably by the current administration as the uglier and more painful resolution will happen on Wall Street, one morning, no warning and then followed by a whimpering collapse of the US Treasury market...
throwing good money after bad is becoming an Oregon tradition. a legend for your graph, based on the similar graph in your Oregon budget link: dark blue = the feds, middle blue = Oregon general fund, light blue = Oregon "other funds", and that tiny sliver of yellow-green = our vaunted lottery (not a lot of oomph in that "invisible tax, or as we say in non-PC language, the stupidity tax).
Oregon schools received “more than a billion dollars in federal pandemic aid”
I definitely support spending tax dollars on education. It's a very worthwhile investment. The problem is in Oregon we spend it in all the wrong places. We got gobs of money for schools from the feds during the pandemic yet we kept our schools shuttered for some of the longest time in all of the USA. Meanwhile bars, pot shops and liquor stores were open. Many European schools NEVER closed their schools.
Look at PPS-- they earmarked $60 MILLION DOLLARS for a Center for Black Student Excellence in the belief that this would improve the education of black students. Yet blacks in PPS are still doing poorly despite the virtue signaling by PPS administrators, School Board and the $60 million is still sitting around doing nothing (actually probably a good thing). All they focus on is dividing people by race instead of educating ALL students. Yet, Portlanders keep on electing people that support this type of behavior. Until that changes, it will continue.
As Tina and the Donny Osmond clone gear up to do battle with all things Trump wonder when it's gonna dawn on them that Uncle Donny now controls the Fed's Golden Spigot and No More Gravy fo' you lands.
It's perfect. Leftist "non-profits" can donate say, 10 grand to the Democrats. The Democrats can then earmark ten million of someone else's money for the "non-profit." The "non-profits" will always be run by people with no credentials. At some point the regime media will do a short story on the internal strife of the "non-profit" and casually mention that no one knows where the money went. But someone at the "non-profit" will be living a lot better than they had been. No problem will be solved because if you solve a problem there is no reason to pay you anymore. But it's all ok because the people who are getting millions to not solve problems are members of disadvantaged or underserved communities. (Oddly a casual review of the makeup of the Oregon Legislature will demonstrate that it is controlled by members of underserved and underrepresented communities.) But while it's tempting to blame this all on the Democrats who make the policies that are destroying the state, let's not forget the words of REPUBLICAN Cyrus Javadi who complained that the Democrats did not give ENOUGH money to the education cartel that is turning out illiterates at way above market cost.
My home state is a a complete disaster. When I grew up there in the 1980's, there were 7 or 8 Fortune 500 HQs. Now they only have Nike. Schools are getting worse annually, so much so that the previous governor decided to disband standardized test scores as a requirement for graduation. Perhaps comparative studies make the politicians look bad?
And Nike and Intel are on the rocks. While I am pulling for Elliot Hill to turn the ship around at Nike, the inmates have taken over the asylum in his absence. Turning the tanker around at speed at Intel will also be a herculean task, but I am greatly encouraged by Sanjay Natarajan's return.
Thank you for highlighting this. Good work.
Don’t forget the one thing they did in Salem - raise taxes for the laughably named “School Success Act”
Just remember the Democrat mantra - “…don’t let a disaster go to waste - it’s a perfect time to print more money for Democrats…”. During Covid, the Democrat majority in Congress approved mega $$$ to update school ventilation systems. Were they updated? Not a chance. That money likely landed in the general fund and used to temporarily shore up PERS, severely in the red, and other liberal targets (pronouns, name changes, CRT, etc.). Ventilation upgrades, yeah right.
And... they sent those air cleaners to Los Angeles (Pacific Palisades was needier than Portland?) give me a break.
Recently a WSJ article reported on the bizarre approach that a guidebook from the League of Oregon cities promotes, which is how to say YES to new taxes:
https://www.orcities.org/application/files/2917/3653/0898/Oregon_Local_Revenue_Tools_Guidebook.pdf
After a punishing 20-30% compounded change in the price level (or value of our currency) coupled with the failures of progressive programs, Oregon taxpayers are wary of any new taxes. Like the failed democratic policies from the last national election, this publication underscores how disconnected it is from the taxpayers in this state. In addition to higher prices, alternative media like 'oregonroundup' have shown the wasteful spending in Portland with little or no improvements in outcomes, whether homelessness or educating our children. What should be foremost on taxpayers' minds is recalling the governor and sending a spike through the political beast that feeds on these Federal funds.
What taxpayers demand is greater efficiency and productivity, accountability for the failures in educating our students and prioritization of existing taxes. The unsustainable fiscal disaster at the federal level will be resolved one way or another, preferably by the current administration as the uglier and more painful resolution will happen on Wall Street, one morning, no warning and then followed by a whimpering collapse of the US Treasury market...
On the subject of fooling idiots into voting themselves more price increases, you'll probably enjoy this: "No, we are not going to fix the public schools": https://daveziffer.substack.com/p/no-we-are-not-going-to-fix-the-public
throwing good money after bad is becoming an Oregon tradition. a legend for your graph, based on the similar graph in your Oregon budget link: dark blue = the feds, middle blue = Oregon general fund, light blue = Oregon "other funds", and that tiny sliver of yellow-green = our vaunted lottery (not a lot of oomph in that "invisible tax, or as we say in non-PC language, the stupidity tax).
Oregon schools received “more than a billion dollars in federal pandemic aid”
I definitely support spending tax dollars on education. It's a very worthwhile investment. The problem is in Oregon we spend it in all the wrong places. We got gobs of money for schools from the feds during the pandemic yet we kept our schools shuttered for some of the longest time in all of the USA. Meanwhile bars, pot shops and liquor stores were open. Many European schools NEVER closed their schools.
Look at PPS-- they earmarked $60 MILLION DOLLARS for a Center for Black Student Excellence in the belief that this would improve the education of black students. Yet blacks in PPS are still doing poorly despite the virtue signaling by PPS administrators, School Board and the $60 million is still sitting around doing nothing (actually probably a good thing). All they focus on is dividing people by race instead of educating ALL students. Yet, Portlanders keep on electing people that support this type of behavior. Until that changes, it will continue.
https://www.wweek.com/news/schools/2024/12/17/auditor-warns-portland-public-schools-center-for-black-student-excellence-is-falling-behind/
It ALWAYS comes back to responsibility and accountability - two words totally lacking in Oregon's government. A third might be qualifications.
As Tina and the Donny Osmond clone gear up to do battle with all things Trump wonder when it's gonna dawn on them that Uncle Donny now controls the Fed's Golden Spigot and No More Gravy fo' you lands.
It's perfect. Leftist "non-profits" can donate say, 10 grand to the Democrats. The Democrats can then earmark ten million of someone else's money for the "non-profit." The "non-profits" will always be run by people with no credentials. At some point the regime media will do a short story on the internal strife of the "non-profit" and casually mention that no one knows where the money went. But someone at the "non-profit" will be living a lot better than they had been. No problem will be solved because if you solve a problem there is no reason to pay you anymore. But it's all ok because the people who are getting millions to not solve problems are members of disadvantaged or underserved communities. (Oddly a casual review of the makeup of the Oregon Legislature will demonstrate that it is controlled by members of underserved and underrepresented communities.) But while it's tempting to blame this all on the Democrats who make the policies that are destroying the state, let's not forget the words of REPUBLICAN Cyrus Javadi who complained that the Democrats did not give ENOUGH money to the education cartel that is turning out illiterates at way above market cost.
wHy do yOu hOmeScHOoL don't you want your kid to get an eDuCAtION?
Have no fear Oregonians - thanks to DEI initiatives in hiring and education - I’m sure effective solutions are on the way.
Great work, Jeff. If it weren’t so tragic it would be a comedy
Wow. I’m an Oregonian (living in Cabo thankfully). Just.. Wow. I love your posts. Very informative.
My family is still there
My home state is a a complete disaster. When I grew up there in the 1980's, there were 7 or 8 Fortune 500 HQs. Now they only have Nike. Schools are getting worse annually, so much so that the previous governor decided to disband standardized test scores as a requirement for graduation. Perhaps comparative studies make the politicians look bad?
And Nike and Intel are on the rocks. While I am pulling for Elliot Hill to turn the ship around at Nike, the inmates have taken over the asylum in his absence. Turning the tanker around at speed at Intel will also be a herculean task, but I am greatly encouraged by Sanjay Natarajan's return.
Very disturbing for the future of our state.
Another failed state run by Democrats.
My daughter left Oregon moved to Georgia, because she got tired of all the woke propaganda that was being taught in Oregon schools.