Bloated education budget SB 5515 moves forward

By Oregon House Republicans

The Joint Subcommittee on Education advanced Senate Bill 5515, the Oregon Department of Education’s 2025–27 budget. Representative Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass) and Representative Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay) cast the only “No” votes, warning of the bill’s financial recklessness and misplaced priorities.

“My chief concern with this bill is the reckless drawdown of reserves in CAT-funded programs,” said Representative Dwayne Yunker. “At a time when Oregon’s economy is clearly faltering, this approach is both shortsighted and dangerous. The May Economic and Revenue Forecast shows a $195 million decline in Corporate Activity Tax revenue—yet Democrats are plowing ahead as if the money will magically reappear. The CAT has been a failure from the start, driving businesses out of Oregon. Just today, we saw Dutch Bros. announcing cuts in my own community. It’s hard to see this as anything other than an intentional setup for a fiscal crisis—one they’ll use to push for tax hikes mid-biennium. That’s not responsible governance.”

Republicans had offered a commonsense counterproposal, requesting just $155 million in reductions to preserve reserves and eliminate waste. Among the proposed cuts was the elimination of the Oregon Department of Education’s 21-person DEI department, which costs taxpayers $12 million per biennium but has shown no measurable academic benefit for students.

“My concern in this Oregon Department of Education budget relates to the 21-person, $12 million Department of Equity and Inclusion Office,” said Representative Boomer Wright. “That’s 12 million we’re spending per biennium with no evidence it helps our BIPOC students and communities. When classroom time and basic academics are being squeezed, funding for programs or Departments that show no evidence of reasonable outcomes is indefensible. Our students deserve programs that produce results in student achievement.”

During the Education Subcommittee meeting, Representative Dwayne Yunker shared the following chart showing ODE’s skyrocketing administrator headcount and spending, despite cratering K-12 public school student enrollment and student performance: