RECENTLY ON TOL:
TOL Our Town
- A tumblr site dedicated to the people and places that make up Oregon and Southwest Washington.
TAGS:
rebeccag's comments:
on Lottery Profits
You can read about Stand for Children's proposal to lower rates over the next six years here: http://www.stand.org/Page.aspx?pid=1972 The plan doesn't make any changes to the commission rates for 18 months - allowing retailers to recover from any profits lost during the recession.
People will always go to bars, and people are not going to stop playing the lottery. If the Lottery Commission has a constitutional mandate to maximize revenue for the public good, why are we even having this debate? Right now this revenue is not being maximized for the public good.
Ask yourself this - how much does it really cost retailers to house lottery machines? And then ask yourself, how much does it cost us to have to take care of a society full of more and more high school dropouts every year? When will we ever learn and prioritize the things that are important, like high quality schools for Oregon kids?
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context
on Lottery Profits
The money Oregon’s schools will receive from the lottery if commission rates are lowered will not solve our school funding problem. But revenue is revenue, and when this money could bring back laid off teachers, keep our kids in school longer, and ultimately help Oregon children keep up with their national and international peers, we must look to every possible new revenue source. The primary purpose of the Lottery is to provide funding for public services and public education. The Lottery Commission has a constitutional mandate to maximize the revenue generated from the lottery for the public good. Lowering retailers’ commission to 16% provides Oregon schools with an extra $56 million. This is hardly a solution when you look at further cuts of at least $733 million over the next biennium, but it will help.
It is true that all Oregonians, including hard-working lottery retailers and tavern owners, have been affected by the recession. Stand for Children’s proposal to lower lottery commission rates and use the money to help ease painful budget cuts for schools is reasonable and fair. Additionally, the Lottery’s own studies show that 15% will turn adequate profit for retailers.
It’s clear that increasing the amount of lottery dollars for schools will not create a long-term, shared, strategic solution to end Oregon’s school funding boom and bust cycle. However, the children of today should not suffer because we have not yet found this solution. As we weather the current financial crisis we must seize concrete opportunities now to prepare all kids for a better future.
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context
on Class Size
It is very hard to teach and learn in large classes – and Oregon’s classes are too large. Quality of instruction is extremely important – and teachers can't do their best work when faced with a classroom overflowing with kids. Oregon classes have been too big for years due to funding issues. The revenue measures passed by the Oregon Legislature last session are being challenged and could be overturned– in January we will vote to see if this crucial money will be invested in schools and public programs. If Oregon Measures 66 & 67 don’t pass, class sizes will increase and yet again Oregon’s children will not receive the same education opportunities as their national counterparts. Read more about why these measures must pass- www.stand.org/or/revenue.
posted 3 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Cutting the Budget
We need to try and prevent the worst of the budget cuts – if we don’t act now, Oregon’s public schools could be forced to cut 5,500 teachers! Oregon’s students already learn in the largest elementary classes in the nation and have one of the shortest school years. Legislators need to take bold steps to increase revenue available for schools and other essential public programs that protect our state’s most vulnerable citizens. We can do something-send a message to your legislators today to ask them to raise revenue and prevent further harm. Click on this link - www.stand.org/or/postcard.
posted 4 years ago
view in context
on Budget Cuts Are Coming
Kids deserve education to prepare them for their future and the future of our currently unstable world. Education cultivates us into mature individuals, individuals capable of planning for our futures and making the right decisions. Education is important for the economic growth of a nation. Education forms a support system for talents to excel in life. It is the backbone of society.
A large noon-time Rally organized by Stand for Children will call on the Legislature to prevent harmful cuts to education and other critical children’s programs that serve children’s programs by:
- Investing what we have wisely, funding programs that produce the best results
- Smartly utilizing reserves and any federal stimulus that comes to Oregon
- Responsibly raising revenue, ending the boom-and-bust cycle created by the kicker law
Come make your voice heard and protect our kids and schools Monday, February 16, noon on the front steps of the State Capital. Go online to register and learn more at: www.stand.org/or/rally, or call 503.235.2305, ext. 118.
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
