2009 Session By the Numbers

By Oregon House Republicans,

$1.6 billion
The total amount in new taxes and fees approved by the 2009 Legislature. The revenue increase from these legislative actions will increase to $2 billion in 2011-13.

$733 million
The total amount in permanent, job-killing income and corporate tax increases.

43,000
The number of jobs that independent economist Randall J. Pozdena, Ph.D. estimates Oregon will lose due to the income and corporate tax increases alone.

12.2 percent
Oregon’s June 2009 unemployment rate. Oregon currently has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation.

241,000
The number Oregonians who are unemployed.

98,000
The number of Oregon jobs lost since June 2008. (Oregon’s unemployment rate a year ago was 5.5 percent.)

542
New jobs “created” by the Democrats’ $255 million borrow-and-spend stimulus plan (“Go!Oregon”).

$19 million
General Fund cost per year to service Go!Oregon’s debt costs.

$1.259 billion
The amount of new government debt backed by General Funds and Lottery Funds. (This does not include the $168.3 million in debt passed at the beginning of session.)

$52.9 billion
The amount of Oregon’s 2009-11 Total Funds budget.

9.3 percent
The increase in Oregon’s Total Funds budget compared to the previous Legislatively Approved Budget.

$1.258 billion
The total amount in one-time stimulus and savings account funds in the 2009-11 budget- money that will not be available again to sustain 2009-11 spending levels.

$581.5 million
Estimated amount of state employee benefit premiums. Oregon is the only state that doesn’t require its workers to contribute towards their benefit premiums or pay deductibles.

$237 million
The estimated 2009-11 roll-up costs of pay raises awarded by Democrats to state employees and managers during the 2007-09 biennium.

26 percent
The percentage of Oregonians who say they approve of the 2009 Legislature’s performance (The Riley Report: Oregon Voter Survey, June 2009. Riley Research Associates)