Tough economic times are ahead for 1-in-5 Oregonians in crisis

In Oregon, the Great Recession has had a dramatic impact upon residents. About one in five people depend upon the state for assistance in order to make ends meet. Approximately 635,000 people relied on state-supplied health care last year.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of seniors, children and people with disabilities were also supplied with necessary support. As the year draws to a close, though, the next state budget looks like it's going to fall short of what it takes to provide the same level of service again.

Even if the Oregon spent every dollar of new revenue it is projected to have on providing for residents, as it has in the past, it would still come up about $200 million short of the mark. Adding to the troubles of the state is that about $1 billion of federal stimulus money that supports the state's Dept. of Human Services will dry up on July 1st, 2011.

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