Oregon's State Budget: Where does the money come from; where does it go?

George Naughton, Director of the Budget and Management Division of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, will join Steve Novick, a political activist, attorney and former US Department of Justice litigator, to discuss Oregon’s state budget on Tuesday, November 10 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room of the Multnomah County Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

Do Oregonians pay higher taxes than other states? How is public education funded? How does our corporate tax rate compare nationally? Mr. Naughton and Mr. Novick will deconstruct Oregon's budget; tell us where the money comes from and where it goes; and discuss challenges facing Oregon's budget because of the economic downturn. The program will provide basic information that voters should find useful in considering the tax measure referendum that will be on the ballot in the January 2010 special election.

George Naughton has been the budget director for the state of Oregon since June 2006. In that capacity, he and his team at the Budget and Management Division of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) are responsible for putting together the Governor’s Recommended Budget every two years and advising the Governor on financial matters that impact the state. Prior to his current position, Mr. Naughton was the Deputy Director at the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) which oversees land use planning in the state of Oregon. During his time at DLCD, Mr. Naughton oversaw the implementation of Ballot Measure 37 (2004), which modified land owner rights in Oregon.

Steve Novick works for Defend Oregon. He spent nine years as an environmental law enforcement lawyer at the U.S. Justice Department, recovering $129 million for taxpayers in the Love Canal case. Since returning to Oregon in 1996, Steve has served as policy director in Governor Kulongoski’s 2002 campaign; as communications director for Citizens for Oregon’s Future, a non-profit dedicated to providing reliable information on tax and budget issues; and as legislative liaison for Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo. In the 2008 Democratic Senate primary, Mr. Novick was a candidate for the United States Senate.

MetroEast Community Media will broadcast the discussion on Channel 22 and Channel 23 on:

* Monday, November 16, 6:00 pm

* Tuesday, November 17, 6:00 pm

* Saturday, November 21, 11:00 am

* Sunday, November 22, 2:00 pm

* Wednesday, November 25, 4:00 pm

* Thursday, November 26, 9:00 pm

The discussion is presented by the League of Women Voters of Portland. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government.

The League of Women Voters of Portland * 310 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 520 * Portland, OR 97204 * 503-228-1675 * [email protected] * www.lwvpdx.org