A premature promise.Byline: The Register-Guard Gov. Ted Kulongoski's defeat in the showdown over the Legislature's pledge to local school districts of $200 million from budgetary reserves is a loss for the kind of people who make sure their spare tire is inflated. Such cautious people hope they don't get a flat, but they know that it's best to be prepared. Looking at Oregon's economic landscape, the governor concluded that the state shouldn't promise money it might not have - and though schools need the $200 million, Kulongoski was right. The Legislature approved a spending bill providing $6 billion for schools in the 2009-11 biennium bi·en·ni·um n. pl. bi·en·ni·ums or bi·en·ni·a A two-year period. [Latin : bi-, two; see bi-1 + annus, year; see at- , including $400 million in reserves. The governor vetoed the bill Tuesday, saying he wanted to keep half the money in the rainy rain·y adj. rain·i·er, rain·i·est Characterized by, full of, or bringing rain. rain  i·ness n.Adj. day fund until future economic forecasts showed that the state could keep its commitment. The Senate voted to override An arrangement whereby commissions are made by sales managers based upon the sales made by their subordinate sales representatives. A term found in an agreement between a real estate agent and a property owner whereby the agent keeps the right to receive a commission for the sale of the veto veto [Lat.,=I forbid], power of one functionary (e.g., the president) of a government, or of one member of a group or coalition, to block the operation of laws or agreements passed or entered into by the other functionaries or members. In the U.S. on Wednesday, and the House followed suit on Thursday. The dispute could easily have been avoided. The Legislature and the governor have agreed all along on a $2.9 billion appropriation The designation by the government or an individual of the use to which a fund of money is to be applied. The selection and setting apart of privately owned land by the government for public use, such as a military reservation or public building. for schools in the 2009-10 academic year. The argument was over whether to budget $2.9 billion or $3.1 billion for 2010-11, with the Legislature reaching the larger number by drawing more heavily on the state's relatively small rainy day fund. The obvious course of action would have been to postpone post·pone tr.v. post·poned, post·pon·ing, post·pones 1. To delay until a future time; put off. See Synonyms at defer1. 2. To place after in importance; subordinate. a final decision about the 2010-11 budget until the Legislature reconvenes next February, by which time the outlook for the second year of the biennium will be more clear. It's possible that the state will need a mid-biennium budgetary revision in any case. The Legislature's budget relies on $733 million in state and corporate income tax increases that might wind up on the ballot. If voters reject the tax increases, budgets for all state-supported programs, including schools, will need to be cut. The economy may also have further nasty surprises in store, reducing state revenues below expectations. Kulongoski wanted to keep more money in reserve just in case the economic picture worsens, and avoid making a budgetary pledge the state might not be able to keep. Instead, the Legislature chose to embark on Verb 1. embark on - get off the ground; "Who started this company?"; "We embarked on an exciting enterprise"; "I start my day with a good breakfast"; "We began the new semester"; "The afternoon session begins at 4 PM"; "The blood shed started when the partisans the new biennium with an underinflated spare in the trunk. |
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