Oregon Public Broadcasting

Governor Ted Kulongoski says he may veto a budget cut passed by the Oregon Legislature.

If he followed through on the veto threat, the Oregon court system would get back more than $6 million.

Phil Lemman speaks for the Oregon Judicial Department. He says a veto would help fund several levels of Oregon courts.

Phil Lemman: "The faith healing trials, the drug courts, those are kind of the headline grabbers. But ever misdemeanor and felony gets adjudicated in a state court. When a child is placed in foster care by the state, those decisions are reviewed by state courts. And those decisions do not get made unless the courts are funded to provide those decisions on a timely basis."

Governor Kulongoski also says he may veto a study on whether the state should buy a trout farm in south central Oregon.

He says the study would yield little or no new information about fish hatcheries.

Under Oregon law, the governor must announce his intent to veto bills and then wait five days to carry out the threat.