Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski made good Tuesday on a threat to veto the state's K-through-12 education budget.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Kulongoski repeated his belief that the spending plan relies too heavily on the state's reserves. The Democratic governor says lawmakers should wait until next year before they commit to spending too much of the state's money.

Kulongoski said if lawmakers override his veto and the economy improves in the next year, he'll admit the error of his ways.

Ted Kulongoski:  “My guess is they'll come in and feel pretty good about themselves. They're right, and I was wrong. But I don't think that's going to happen though, because I think they're going to be standing there and saying ‘I wish I would have listened to what the governor said.'”

Lawmakers could vote as soon as Wednesday to override the veto. That would take a two-thirds majority in both chambers.

If that happens, it would be the first veto override in Kulongoski's seven years in office.

Online:

The Governor's veto letter