Will Americans raise taxes to curb deficits? Oregon a test case.

[depakid]

A ballot before Oregon voters Tuesday would raise taxes on high earners to lower the yawning state deficit. It is being seen as a snapshot of the national mood.


Election worker Kevin Fitzgerald stands watch as motorists line up to drop off ballots boxes at Multnomah County election headquarters in Portland, Portland, Ore., Tuesday. Oregon voters will determine the fate of tax measures 66 and 67 in today's vote-by-mail special election.
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A vote in Oregon Tuesday will resonate far beyond the Cascade Mountains as a gauge of whether Americans will support tax hikes to keep budget-strapped governments afloat.

The balloting – on measures to boost personal-income and business taxes – comes as the federal government and many other states are facing pressure to close budget gaps. And the measures, backed by Oregon Democrats, also come just a week after the Democratic Party was shocked by an election loss in the Massachusetts race for US senator.

The outcome in Oregon could tip either way, according to public opinion polls. As a generally Democratic state, and one battered more than most by the recession, it's an important proving ground.

Several states raised taxes last year on high-income earners, as the measure in Oregon would do. But in Oregon, the issue is directly in voters hands, not with the state legislature.

More: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0126/Will-Americans-raise-taxes-to-curb-deficits-Oregon-a-test-case.

In the end, it wasn't even close... people by a wide margin chose to vote Yes for Oregon.

[FreakinDJ]

1. Raising Taxes as a means to spawn investment

When Personal Top Tier Tax Rates were higher American Corporations invested/re-invested more assets into keeping the Corporation/Business profitable. The Senate Finance Committee as of late has been examining exactly how the effect of Lowered Tax Rates for the Top 1% has encouraged business practices with "Short Term Profits and Long Term Consequences"

The lower Top Tier Tax Rates are part of the FAILED RATpubliCON Economic Policies

[here_is_to_hope]

2. I hope some of the money fills the holes but as wasteful

as state spending has become, this will be nothing more than stop gap at best.
Just an example: Sunset Bay State Park has 11 full time employee's in 8 different trucks, on any given day, 6 are doing nothing, 3 are driving around and 2 are looking for them.

It's going to be a wasted effort.