This content was published: March 29, 2011. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Blog: Budget released, here’s our next step
Photos and story by Dana Haynes
The co-chairmen of the Legislature’s budget-writing committee released their proposed budget today. It calls for an ambiguous budget for all educational agencies outside of the K-12 system.
In short, the co-chairs’ budget, “Sets (a) goal of funding the Oregon University System and the Community College Support Fund near or above the Governor’s recommended budget.”
Gov. John Kitzhaber’s recommended budget for Oregon’s 17 community colleges is a total of $410 million (down from $500 million just two years ago). Many of us were in Salem last week lobbying for a minimum of $425 million.
So what’s next?
As our lobbyist, I have asked members of the PCC Board of Directors and President Pulliams’ Cabinet to contact lawmakers right away and tell them that the 17 community colleges really need a minimum of $425 million in the 2011-13 budget.
I’m asking them to please take the opportunity to send an e-mail or to call their senator and representative on this topic. The calls or e-mails should be polite and should thank them for their support for community colleges.
They? can find? addresses and phone numbers at:
And if they’re not sure who represents them, they can go to either of those web addresses and click on “Find Your Legislator” in the right-hand column. Just type in your address.
So that’s our plan.
About Dana Haynes
Dana Haynes, joined PCC in 2007 as the manager of the Office of Public Affairs, directing the college's media and government relations. Haynes spent the previous 20 years as a reporter, columnist and editor for Oregon newspapers, including ... more »