04/28/2003

By JANE SMITH, KGW Staff

The Portland School board approved next year’s 2004 budget on Monday night, but it hinges on voters in Multnomah County.

The $392 million budget is based on good faith of the taxpayers. If they don’t come through, it means severe cuts next year.

The Portland Public Schools school board voted on a 2004 budget that will rely on voters for financing. (KGW Photo)

The measure will be heard a lot in the next few weeks. The school board’s numbers are based on passage of this measure.

“We had to make one assumption or another,” said school board member Marc Abrams. “We had to assume that 26-48 would pass or fail.”

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		KGW-TV report

The measure, if passed, would raise personal income taxes for Multnomah County workers by 1.25 percent. If it doesn’t pass, Portland could lose 600 teachers, class sizes would increase by 30 percent, all athletic programs would be cut, and Outdoor School would be lost.

“We have to go – we thought responsibly – with a budget that promises hope, with the budget that gives people a sense that we’re still working for their children,” Abrams said.

Mary Pat Daly, a parent, wants the measure to pass so badly, she is calling voters at home to get the word out.

If it doesn’t pass, she said she will put her children in private schools or put Oregon behind her.

“I’m not as hopeful we’ve considered leaving the city, leaving the state, but we consider this our adoptive home,” Daly said.

If it doesn’t pass, the school board does have another plan that they say is a tragic alternative.