Sen. Courtney wants $200M for school seismic upgrades

Sen. Peter Courtney, D-Salem, stood near the steps at McKinley Elementary Tuesday morning when he announced a plan for the 2015 Legislature to spend $200 million on seismic upgrades to schools.

"We do know like in China when an earthquake hit the schools, it was devestating the number of children that were lost there," Courtney said. "We do have this responsiblity to the children to try and get the schools to the point they can take this kind of hit."

The Senate President's proposal would use general fund bonds that the Legislature would disperse as grants to public school districts across Oregon. Schools with the highest risk of collapse would be prioritized and none of the grants would be larger than $1.5 million.

A 2007 study found that more than 1,000 school buildings throughout Oregon had a very high or high risk of collapse during a major earthquake.

That's a problem for the state because scientists say Oregon is due for what's called a magnitude 9 subduction zone earthquake.

"I'm hoping that this is the time when we can make a bold attempt," Courtney said.

To make all of Oregon's public schools seismically sound, the 2007 study estimated the state would need to spend about $10 billion. That's more than the state collects in general fund revenues in a year.

"Of course, any one of our larger school districts would quickly spend $200 million on upgrades," said Betsy Miller-Jones, executive director of Oregon School Boards Association. "This is still a substantial amount of money to address the needs across our state. It's a step in the right direction."

And it's been a long time coming for the school districts.

In 2002, voters approved a measure that allowed the Legislature to use state bonds funds for seismic upgrades but progress has been slow. Bonds were used to upgrade 25 of the more than 1,000 schools listed as high or very high risk.

"I think we are always competing with other priorities," Courtney said.

The state's bonding capacity for the coming fiscal year is thought to be around $800 million, which means Courtney's proposal would eat up 25 percent.

Another proposal that could take nearly 40 percent of the state's bonding capacity is to spend between $250 to $300 million seismically upgrading the Capitol building.

Courtney thinks it's possible to do both, but Republican lawmakers are starting to frame it as an either or choice.

"It is only now after pushing for more spending on the Capitol building and under the heat a tough re-election campaign that he proposes a bonding package for schools," Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, said in statement. "Not one dime should be spent for the comfort of bureaucrats and politicians while Oregon school children are at risk."

House Republican Leader Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, would like to see the bonding proposal for the Capitol and Courtney's school proposal separated from any overall bonding bill and voted on separately.

"We have more need than money," McLane said. "We need to know what the priorities are for Oregonians."