Oregon’s 79th Legislative Assembly convenes today. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s session, by the numbers.

Feb. 1: Session begins.

$1.8 billion: The state’s deficit — the projected gap between expected revenue and expected expenses – for the next two-year budget.

8 percent: Percentage of the state budget the gap represents.

18: Number of freshman lawmakers

18 and 36: Number of votes needed to pass a new tax in the Senate and House, respectively.

17 and 35: Number of Democrats in the Senate and House, respectively.

8.4 percent: Projected increase in money this legislature will have available to spend versus in 2015.

$315 million: How much more lawmakers will have to spend on public employee pensions in the next two years.

$350 million: Shortfall in state funding for Oregon’s Medicaid program due to Perabet decrease in the federal government’s contribution.

Oregon Gov. Kate BrownOregonian file photo 

$897 million: New revenue proposed in Gov. Kate Brown’s proposed budget, mostly by raising taxes on tobacco, liquor, hospitals, insurers and some corporation owners’ incomes.

$0: New revenue proposed by Ways & Means Committee Co-Chairs in their “existing resources” budget framework.

$3 billion: The amount Measure 97, the corporate tax measure rejected by voters in November, would have raised annually.

160: Days in the regular legislative session, which ends at 11:59 p.m. July 9. If the Legislature has not passed a balanced budget by this time, lawmakers must return for a special session.

2: Proposed bills designating an official state dog. (Border collie vs. shelter rescues)

— Anna Marum

amarum@oregonian.com
503-294-5911
@annamarum

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