Budgeting

Published on: July 13, 2020

Does Your Chosen Candidate for Oregon Elected Office Know Local Government Budgeting Law?

By Laura Orr

They should! There are lots of ways to learn: e.g. while in a public sector job that takes an active role in the agency’s budget process, by working for an elected official, by volunteering on a government committee or for a non-profit that takes part in a local or state government budget process, or, even by reading and self-study.

For example, there is a “Local Budgeting Manual,” among many other useful training and guidance documents on public websites for anyone who wants to learn about budget timelines, requirements, and laws.

From the Local Budget Law page of the Oregon Department of Revenue:

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Published on: March 29, 2020

What I learned today: Why did HR 748 (2019) become the Two+ Trillion Dollar C-19 Bill (2020)?

By Laura Orr

Did you know that the two trillion (and counting) dollar coronavirus (Covid-19) law started out as a January 24, 2019, revenue bill out of the House of Representatives? (HR 748, 116th Congress, 2019-2020)?

For the record, the 880 page enrolled bill (version passed by both Chambers) was signed by the President on March 27, 2020. [The P.L. number is 116-136.]

So, my question to colleagues was:

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Published on: September 11, 2018

Follow the Money: Participatory Budgeting (Oregon and beyond)

By Laura Orr

There are many ways to serve a community: voting, working, volunteering, learning, parenting, etc.

If your public service-bliss is to geek out on government operations, there is nothing more basic than understanding the budgeting process.

Understanding how laws are made and how political parties operate are equally important, but if you don’t know how “public” money is raised, allocated, and spent, you will always feel out of the loop.

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