February 2010 Golden Fleece Award Winner
“Do-nothing” 2010 Emergency Legislative Session Cost Taxpayers $35K Per Day!
The Oregon Legislative Leadership – House Speaker Dave Hunt and -Senate President Peter Courtney – were awarded Common Sense For Oregon’s Golden Fleece Award for an emergency legislative session that cost Oregon taxpayers approximately $35,000 per day but failed to address the most pressing issue facing Oregon – job creation.
“Oregon taxpayers were fleeced in a big way by the leaders of the Oregon Legislature,” said Ross Day, Executive Director and General Counsel of Common Sense For Oregon, “for $35,000 a day, Oregonians are right to expect more from the Legislature than the creation of 200 government jobs.”
In addition to creating 200 government jobs, other “emergency” legislation passed by the “Emergency Legislature” included the designation of May as “Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month,” the creation of the Oregon Economic Gardening Council and “encouraging” the teaching of the Chinese language in public schools.
“It is hard to believe this legislation could not wait until the convening of the 2011 Oregon Legislature,” Day continued, “special sessions are for emergencies only, like the creation of jobs in the private sector, stopping the early release of violent criminals, and preventing self-dealing by members of the Legislature. The 2010 special emergency session failed to adequately address any of these important issues.”
The Oregon Constitution permits the Oregon Legislative Assembly to meet outside of odd years in cases where an emergency arises. Otherwise, the Oregon Legislative Assembly meets every odd year. According to estimates based upon figures from the Legislative Fiscal Office, it costs approximately $1,000,000 per month – or $35,000 a day – for the Legislature to be in session.
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or Outrageous Spending?
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