SALEM — Oregon House Democrats say they will push next year for more investments in schools, children’s health and transportation. But they aren’t advocating specific tax or fee increases to pay for those things at this point.

The Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the House, listed one proposed tax change in their “road map” for 2009. It calls for increasing the corporate minimum tax — set at $10 in 1931 and unchanged ever since.

House Majority Leader Dave Hunt said other tax proposals could come up in January, including a cigarette tax hike to pay for children’s health programs. Other new revenue — such as increased vehicle fees — might be sought to pay for transportation improvements, he said.

But the Gladstone lawmaker said Democrats aren’t interested in “overpromising” on an agenda for next year, especially in these uncertain economic times.

“We are making commitments we know we can fulfill,” he said.

Hunt made the comment as House Democrats announced their road map for the fall election campaign in which they will try to drum up support for their ideas before taking them up in the 2009 Legislature for consideration.

House Republican spokesman Nick Smith called the Democrats’ agenda a vague set of proposals “that slickly disguises their plans to raise taxes and increase spending.”

Hunt, however, said the Democrats are advocating for programs that won backing in the 2007 session and enjoy public support.

He said House Democrats want to build on momentum from 2007 in which education advocates landed hefty increases in funding for K-12 and for higher education, as well as for an expansion of Head Start preschool programs.

Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski already has said he plans a renewed push in 2009 to increase Oregon’s cigarette tax to pay for expanded children’s health care.

Kulongoski’s proposal is aimed at resurrecting an idea that was left for dead after Oregon voters trounced Measure 50, which would have raised the state tax on a pack of cigarettes by 84.5 cents.

Hunt said House Democrats are awaiting the recommendations of a task force that’s looking for ways to move the state toward more universal health care before embracing any particular funding plan.

Any revenue raising plans could have smoother sailing next session, depending on the outcome of this November’s House races.

In the Oregon House, where all tax proposals must originate, Democrats hold a slim 31-29 majority. In the coming election, Democrats would need at least five seats to get to a three-fifths majority in the chamber, enough votes to pass new taxes without GOP help.

“Obviously, the more House Democrats we have, the more policy priorities we can adopt in a whole series of areas,” the House majority leader said.