As a state we are failing our children by packing them in overcrowded classrooms. Oregon has some of the largest class sizes in the country. Crowded classrooms mean more stressful environments for students and teachers, less individualized attention for students. In short, a poorer education for our children and a poorer future for our state.
Right now, hundreds of millions of dollars that should be going to schools are instead flowing to special interests. Sign the petition asking the Oregon Legislature to support HB 4141, to send money identified for schools, to schools.
The Legislative Revenue Office projects that tax abatements with some level of local government control will cost Oregon $863 million over the 2013-15 biennium, with $379 million of that being revenue which would otherwise go to schools. These tax abatements often constitute big property tax breaks for corporations.
To do right by our children, we need to ensure that school dollars go to our schools. More dollars for education means more teachers in the classroom. It means smaller class sizes, which is what Oregon children deserve.
That is why we are petitioning the legislature to support Rep. Ben Unger’s proposal (HB 4141) to create a tax abatement “lock box” that can’t be given away, ensuring that school dollars go to schools.
