Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Budget committee gives boost to DHS programs
Thursday, February 21, 2008 | No comments posted.
SALEM (AP) — State budget officials released a final list of spending priorities for the February session, with the Department of Human Resources emerging as the biggest winner.
Lawmakers in charge of the budget said Wednesday they want to set aside $17.5 million for the agency that has been stretched thin in recent years because increasing numbers of seniors, foster children and disabled residents need help. An opinion from outside reviewers this week said the agency must add as many as 600 additional child welfare caseworkers just to meet federal standards.
The Joint Ways and Means Committee also proposed spending an additional $4.8 million to improve Oregon’s crumbling state hospital, which was sharply criticized in a recent Department of Justice report on conditions and care. Current plans call for adding more than 200 employees to the staff of the psychiatric facility.
Committee members are scheduled to vote on final budget numbers Thursday. Other expenditures making the cut include:
* $500,000 for emergency loans to help local governments recover from last December’s devastating storms;
* $458,223 for the Oregon State Police troopers program, aimed at hiring enough troopers to staff Oregon’s major highways 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
* $1.6 million to restructure a long-standing debt owed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland;
* $426,008 for the “Big Look” task force, a committee formed to evaluate the state’s land-use policy, including urban growth boundaries and other regulations on development;
* $2.5 million to establish large underground water storage areas in Eastern Oregon to help farmers, protect fish and guard against a future of lower snowpacks caused by global climate change;
* $300,000 for small business loans to veterans; and
* $1 million for low-income housing preservation.
One of the biggest ticket items was $4.4 million set aside to process claims made under Measure 49. The land-use measure approved by voters in November allows property owners to build up to three homes on their property regardless of land-use regulations, but requires those who want to build up to 10 homes to jump through stricter hoops.
Supporters of items not on the spending list will have to wait until lawmakers meet again for a six-month session in 2009.
Lawmakers in charge of the budget said Wednesday they want to set aside $17.5 million for the agency that has been stretched thin in recent years because increasing numbers of seniors, foster children and disabled residents need help. An opinion from outside reviewers this week said the agency must add as many as 600 additional child welfare caseworkers just to meet federal standards.
The Joint Ways and Means Committee also proposed spending an additional $4.8 million to improve Oregon’s crumbling state hospital, which was sharply criticized in a recent Department of Justice report on conditions and care. Current plans call for adding more than 200 employees to the staff of the psychiatric facility.
Committee members are scheduled to vote on final budget numbers Thursday. Other expenditures making the cut include:
* $500,000 for emergency loans to help local governments recover from last December’s devastating storms;
* $458,223 for the Oregon State Police troopers program, aimed at hiring enough troopers to staff Oregon’s major highways 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
* $1.6 million to restructure a long-standing debt owed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland;
* $426,008 for the “Big Look” task force, a committee formed to evaluate the state’s land-use policy, including urban growth boundaries and other regulations on development;
* $2.5 million to establish large underground water storage areas in Eastern Oregon to help farmers, protect fish and guard against a future of lower snowpacks caused by global climate change;
* $300,000 for small business loans to veterans; and
* $1 million for low-income housing preservation.
One of the biggest ticket items was $4.4 million set aside to process claims made under Measure 49. The land-use measure approved by voters in November allows property owners to build up to three homes on their property regardless of land-use regulations, but requires those who want to build up to 10 homes to jump through stricter hoops.
Supporters of items not on the spending list will have to wait until lawmakers meet again for a six-month session in 2009.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines