Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s Speaker of the House has thrown cold water on Portland Public Schools’ warm and fuzzy balanced budget.

The Portland district based its budget on an expectation that state lawmakers would spend more than $6.4 billion on public schools. Democratic House Speaker Dave Hunt says Portland is expecting way too much.

Dave Hunt: “That is completely unrealistic. I mean our K-12 funding last session was, was it $6.24 billion? They’re budgeting off of $6.41 billion? Yeah, $6.41 billion. That is completely unrealistic.”

Hunt’s office says with an anticipated $3 billion budget shortfall, lawmakers will not be able to increase school funding - even with federal stimulus and state reserve funds factored in.

Portland’s superintendent is planning not to give raises to most employee groups, and to eliminate about 40 positions. But the budget assumptions helped avoid plans for deeper cuts.