Oregon, 2012: Addressing Budgetary Issues in The First Voter-Mandated Annual Session

Abstract The major item to address in the 2012 Oregon Legislative session was a $340 million shortfall in revenues that came as no surprise to the lawmakers. When the last session adjourned in June, 2011, and given the state of the economy at the time, lawmakers realized they would be returning shortly to the capitol to balance the budget for the remainder of the biennial budgetary process. Surprisingly, even though this was certainly the most important item to address in this session, it did not take long to do so, nor was it accomplished with much rancor. This budget report covers the 2012 session, its political setting, and economy’s impact on the state budget.