Government Pork Over Police

House Republican Press Release 6/27/07:

HOUSE DEMOCRATS SERVE PORK,
BUT NO 24/7 OREGON STATE POLICE COVERAGE

SALEM””The 2007-09 budget serves plenty of pork to Democratic districts, but provides no 24/7 State Police coverage for Oregonians. House Republican Leader Wayne Scott (R-Canby) said the recently-completed budget reflects the misplaced priorities of the Legislature’s Democratic leadership.

“With over $2.5 billion in new revenue this biennium, you’d think the Legislature would reserve $4.2 million to provide Oregonians with around-the-clock State Police protection,” Rep. Scott said. “Instead, the Democrats pass a budget with hundreds of millions of dollars in pork-barrel borrowing and spending. This Legislature didn’t have the guts to assure the public safety of its citizens.”

Examples of wasteful borrowing and spending include $7 million for a parking lot in Hillsboro, $20 million for downtown Portland streetcars, $45 million for light-rail in Portland and Milwaukie, $1 million in arts funding and additional millions in elections and administrative costs for measures Democrats couldn’t pass in the Legislature.

“This Legislature is borrowing and spending record amounts of taxpayer dollars,” Rep. Scott said. “House Democrats blocked our proposal to create a Legislative Audit Office, so there’s little accountability for the wasteful spending in this budget.”

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