Jenny Smith

No foolin': The data is out, and it's clear the corporate lobby in Oregon has been trying to punk all of us. Millionaires aren't leaving Oregon because of our tax rates--in fact, we had an 8.5% increase in the number of millionaire households from 2009 to 2010, according to Phoenix Marketing, a firm that tracks such things.

Coverage continues of the release of the Co-Chairs' proposed budget. The budget contains deep cuts for schools, health care, and public safety, while sitting on $440 million in reserves. The Governor expresses concerns over legislative plans to rush an education funding bill through, as do education advocates.

Advocates for education and basic services--including parents and people with disabilities--are speaking out against proposed budget cuts.

A look from the brighter side of life...

1. The Portland Trail Blazers are great. Really great. BAM.

2. We're supposed to have our first 60 degree day this week -- the last one was in early December. It's about time!

It's Friday!

As the Ways and Means Committee prepares to release its proposed budget, it's becoming increasingly clear what an all-cuts budget will mean to schools, senior care, and public safety: devastating losses that will impact school children, seniors, and the middle class.

The Senate passed a bill requiring free, all-day kindergarten. Because of its $100 million price tag, the bill wouldn't mandate full-day kindergarten until 2015. Notably, that's only $7 million more than the $93 million in business tax breaks approved by the legislature two weeks ago.

The Oregonian editorial board continues to print false claims about Measures 66 & 67--this time claiming that businesses have closed or left because of the measures (among many other bogus claims). Their very own newspaper has yet to report on even one business closing or leaving because of 66 & 67. We get that it's the "opinion" page, but shouldn't "not printing verifiably false information" be a priority for the ed board?