Don't forget all the generous handouts to OHSU Biotech Job Creation (in Florida), solar and wind developers/projects, and the millions of attorney's fees spent on Gov. Retread's girlfriend.

I see NO INDICATION that any more money spent on schools results in any improvement in education results.

In the PPS, the highest paid and MOST POPULATED positions are in overhead, planning, administration, counseling, curriculum and programs. Most of these personnel are carried on the books as a "teacher", yet they teach no classes. As a result, the remaining teachers (that actually TEACH), have large class sizes.

According to the Oregonian, PPS schools take $ 14,000 per year, per student. Those that say it isn't enough, need to tell the rest of us, "HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?"

It took me a while to find this piece to back up my argument. Note none of the "Departments of Education" are included in these figures. ONE, however DOES rightly include the huge amount spent by the Mult. Co. Educational Service District:

"With debt and capital -- the way McIntire and some others think is more accurate -- the number would be more than $12,000. It would be anywhere from $13,200 (without contingency and ending fund balance) to $14,100 (if those categories are included) to $15,000 (if he is correctly adding education service district costs to the budget)."

http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/jul/03/don-mcintire/does-portland-public-schools-spend-12000-year-stud/

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Again... HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

Don't forget, out of a $15B gen fund budget, Salem was also able to find an EXTRA $1.1B last legislative session to throw at PERS contributions - And they'll probably do the same this session now that they're not getting a tobacco settlement or stimulus check from DC.

You should be aware by now that funding schools is a bottom priority for Salem.

He's a phony. This is all about PERS. This is only about PERS. And no one wants to talk about, much less do anything about, PERS.

From Ted Sickinger's report in the Oregonian, Sept. 28:

"Pension contributions of $2 billion in this two-year budget period will rise by 45 percent, $900 million, in the 2013-15 biennium.

"School districts will be paying on average about 26.7 percent more of their payroll starting in 2013. The escalating cost of the pension system has become a budget buster for many of the 900 government agencies, school districts and municipal entities whose employees are members."

Tom Cox, losing candidate for State Treasurer, had a plan to fix it. The ideas are not copyrighted:

http://thomasbcox.netboots.net/pers-reform

Every single thing you hear about children, schools, seniors, etc. etc. etc. is really just about PERS. All the rest is lies and bullshit.

It seems like they never have enough money for things that matter, like Ed. but they always seem to find money for things that no one wants, like the train to nowhere.

We need to talk about retirement programs. It's the same thing in Portland. The reason that they need to keep coming to us with levies just to maintain "normal" service is that benefits are sucking up an ever increasing slice of the pie.

Right on the money. All very good comments.

Question is why are Washington schools scoring higher than Oregon which spends less per student than we do? Montana and especially Idaho spend a lot less per student and kick Oregon's ass in test scores.

Yes it is PERS and we have way too many employees and consultants in SOME districts.

The problem is not really a lack of school funding--it's horrible mismanagement of the funding the schools receive. Retirement programs are a big part of it, and so are bloated administrations.

So somebody name ONE DEMOCRAT who will speak ONE IOTA of truth to this power-bloc. Name one. Just one.

Sally, the Democrats are the power bloc.

Kitzhaber ought to take a page from Obama. I'd begrudgingly pay a little more in taxes if he can figure out a way to cut PERS 3-to-1 for every dollar raised for schools.

Snards: The groups (ie, public employee unions) who pay for the Democrats are the power bloc, yes? Like Molly Ivins used to say, you gotta dance with the one who brung ya. Seems to me our legislative and executive elected Democrats are as worthwhile as Kim Basinger in Tom Petty's Last Dance With MaryJane. How's that for a visual?

I don't see anything, anything, "progressive" about the Big Blue Monolith.

Please, please, please, while I agree with your points, no one ever points out that much of the light rail money comes from dedicated funds.

Money that has to go to transportation or "transit"

So while it couldn't go to teachers, it sure could go to fixing our highways, buying buses and bike lanes, lots and lots of bike lanes. /sarcasm.

Not wanting to induce thread drift, but closed circuit to snards...

Yeah, I really missed on my election prediction. I want to publicly thank you (and others in this forum) for not rubbing my nose in it.

You're a class act. Thanx.

It's Mike

Just glad it is over, Mike. We all agree on more stuff than we don't around here.