In support of schools
The Office
Sam testified on behalf of the Mayor and City Council on April 14 before the Ways and Means committee about the importance of school funding. He asked that the state approve an amount of at least $5.4 billion for K-12 education in the State’s 2005-07 budget. Read his testimony below, write your legislator and learn more about the process.
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
JOINT WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Dear Co-chairs Schrader, Scott, and members of the Committee:
My name is Sam Adams, member of the City of Portland City Council. I am here tonight representing Mayor Potter and the City Council to ask for your most serious attention and concern for the status of education funding for the schools in our city, and throughout the state. The Mayor, my colleagues and I consider the health and viability of the six school districts located wholly, or in part, within our city limits to be our most urgent and important priority. We urge the Legislature to respond by approving an amount of at least $5.4 billion for K-12 education in the State’s 2005-07 budget.
Portland families have endured more than 13 years of watching their neighborhood schools become increasingly impoverished. They have stepped forward time after time to try to band-aid their schools—contributing their own money, voting for tax increases, volunteering —and hoping that the State will step forward with the necessary resources to stop the decline and begin to rebuild a first-class K-12 education system. But sadly, members of the committee, the “school bus” is still stuck in reverse.
Just five years ago, Oregon school spending per student was ranked 20th highest among the states, just slightly below the national average. By 2002-03 Oregon school spending dropped to 31st highest among the states, at nearly $1,000 per student below the national average.
Our families here are exhausted and discouraged, and many of them are leaving. We are losing our families at alarming numbers despite our efforts to provide decent jobs and affordable housing for them, because they are no longer willing to trust their children’s education to the vagaries of a chaotic funding system. Families are the building blocks of our community and these losses are deeply disturbing for us, as they should be for you. Family wages contribute millions in income taxes, their children are the workforce of the future, and their presence fosters safe neighborhoods and thriving businesses. Help us keep our families by assuring a $5.4 billion K-12 budget.
Most troubling of all is that our children, for whom we have the ultimate responsibility to provide the best possible launching pad into life, are simply not getting it. I could share mind-numbing statistics about increased class sizes, percentages of administrative cuts, and losses of teachers, aides, librarians and school supplies, but the statistics don’t reveal the real story. Too many of our children look to their school as their second home — a place to be fed, a place to be safe, a place where they can connect with caring adults, a place where they can play and of course a place where they can and will learn. This is a fact of daily life for thousands of children. For all school children, I ask for your support and your determination to pass a $5.4 billion budget.
Co-chairs Schrader and Scott and members of the committee, I know you face difficult and wrenching choices and that you must juggle the competing demands that this budget presents to you. Your work is appreciated. I would ask, however, that you be mindful of the lifelong investment you are making when a child walks into a school to receive an education. Make that investment the best it can be.
Thank you for your courtesy. I would be happy to respond to your questions.
Sincerely yours,
Commissioner Sam Adams
Office of Public Utilities
Posted by The Office on April 14, 2005
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