By KDRV Staff and Associated Press
June 15, 2011
SALEM, Ore. -- The GOP in the Oregon House are proposing a bill that would charge a percentage of state workers' salaries to cover health care costs.
The bill puts forward that state workers pay 5% of their base salaries toward group health benefits, with a minimum payment of $50 per month to a maximum of $500 per month. Currently, state employees are not required to make any contributions toward their health insurance premiums. House Republicans say the bill would not apply to Oregon teachers, who already contribute to their health insurance costs.
Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point), Joint Ways and Means Co-Chair and the bill's chief sponsor, stated his support for the bill in a press release today.
"We are making difficult decisions to balance the budget, yet there's little will in the Capitol to address the state's biggest cost driver," Rep. Richardson said. "It's wrong to cut funding for education, public safety and human services without considering reasonable reforms to Oregon's growing personnel costs."
Other proponents of the bill say the measure would help fill a $21 million gap in the budget for the Department of Corrections and could also provide money for schools. But opponents say employee compensation should be subject to collective bargaining, and state workers have previously given up pay increases to maintain free health care.
The Legislative fiscal office says the move would save the state about $69 million in a two-year budget.
