Telfer asks Secretary of State for clarification on available state resources
Salem, OR — Senator Chris Telfer (R-Bend) has sent a letter asking Secretary of State Kate Brown (D) for detailed information outlining what specific restrictions are limiting the use of more than $3.3 billion in unreserved and unallocated state assets. “As a legislator, I am attempting to balance a budget that enables Oregonians to receive services they desperately need,” said Telfer. “We need to know what resources are available to help families through this tough time.”
Controversy has surrounded a report audited by the Secretary of State’s office that mentioned more than $3.3 billion in unreserved and unrestricted funds in state agency accounts. A statement by Brown on January 13 made the qualifying statement, “Make no mistake about it, these dollars are subject to federal restrictions as well as statutory and constitutional spending constraints.”
“It is confusing because the report says one thing and then the signer of the report, Kate Brown, says another,” said Telfer. “I think it is vital that we get a specific breakdown of what these funds are and what restrictions might or might not affect them.”
Specifically, Telfer asks for:
“¢ The dollar amount of the federally restricted funds and the restrictions thereon,
“¢ The dollar amount of the constitutionally restricted funds and the restrictions thereon and,
“¢ The dollar amounts of the statutorily restricted funds and the associated ORS for each amount.
Using 4% of the $3.3 billion, around $133 million, Senate Republicans have created a budget proposal for the February session, saying that there are ways to balance the budget without increasing unemployment or drastically cutting services in the midst of a historic recession. See an outline of the budget here: http://www.backtobasicsbudget.com