Rep. Yunker: Education budget rewrite gets it wrong

Education Agency Rebalancing Proposals Prove Misplaced Priorities
By Oregon State Representative Dwayne Yunker,

SALEM, Ore. – Representative Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass) issued the following response to today’s Education legislative committee hearing:

“ODE Director Williams said her goal was to “diversify the workforce” but never once mentioned Oregon’s worst-in-the-nation rankings and what to do about them,” said Representative Yunker. “What we heard today shows the agencies still aren’t serious about finding cost savings.”

“ODE wants to keep boondoggles like their $23 million diversity office while cutting Talented and Gifted TAG, Future Farmers, and even 10th grade testing,” said Representative Yunker. “It’s ridiculous.”

“We are expecting this week’s Economic and Revenue forecast to show a shortfall,” said Representative Yunker. “Yet even after adjusting for inflation we’re spending billions of dollars more on Education than we were pre-COVID, with zero to show for it.”

“Democrats here in Oregon want to take away tax breaks for working Oregonians,” said Representative Yunker. “Oregon’s budget crisis is the direct result of a massive spending surge, not tax relief and not federal policy.”