Oregon: Measures 66 and 67 are PASSING HANDILY

[Political Heretic]

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/oregon_measure_66_measure_67_e.html

The NYTs and other so-called "national media outlets" have singled out this Oregon election as a critical-indicator of public mood.

People voted to raise taxes. Proof to any dumbass politician still trying to peddle the bullshit that you can't ever suggest raising more revenue but must only suggest cutting spending/services.

That's false. PEOPLE are sick of feeling like they level in a society where government is for the corporation, by the corporation. Taxes on households over 250,000 and raising the corporation minimum from 10$ to 150$, are both modest measures by any definition.

But the reason why this vote makes my heart happy is that it was driven by the people, and passed despite all "conventional wisdom." This tells me that if you tell the truth to regular folks, and get them to connect the dots between their own hardships and insufficiency and a political-economic system that sucks from them in order to fuel rich greed and excess - then they can and will decide that enough is enough.

This doesn't change the structural injustices embedded in our system, but for Oregonians, this is taking a stab at the beast. And it generates great momentum for arguing the tougher sells on corporation regulation and revenue generation.

[Political Heretic]

1. PS - check the comments on the article. An example of an extremely important point to remember

to protect your own sanity.

The "internets" is not representative of reality.

If it were, you'd think that both measures would have failed by overwhelming margins, and that our capital building would be burning as I type this.

Crazies, crazies everywhere! Fortunately, their tears feed my soul.

[depakid]

3. These are the same Fox "news" and AM hate radio types who always spam the comments

A good many of them aren't even from the state- and they parrot the same, astroturf talking points disseminated by various Republican and libertarian backed groups.

The semi-literate ones, that is.

[medeak]

2. oh no..most corps have already run off to WA

due to Ore tax laws. have two unemployed kids there with grad degrees

[HuckleB]

4. BS...

Oregon does not have restrictive taxes. That is a perception that does not match reality.

In the '90s, I worked for a business publication company, and I had to read most of the nation's business magazines. For several years, Oregon's businesses rated it as being very business friendly, especially for small businesses, and Portland was singled out as being a great for a small business. Then the PBA decided they wanted an even better deal, and they began pushing propaganda about how Portland was not business friendly. Despite no tax increases and no policy changes, suddenly those magazines were no longer rating Portland and Oregon as business friendly, largely because the businesses had motive to change perception. Propaganda is successful, but, at least in this case, it's BS.

Some actual data can be found here where Oregon is rated as the 14th "best" state for business tax climate:

http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/52.html

This five-year-old study also shows Oregon's business tax burden as being very low:

http://www.ocpp.org/cgi-bin/display.cgi?page=issue040123

And another piece on the matter:

http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/03/oregon-business-taxes-were-number-2-lowest.html

And one more:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2008/08/oregon_state_and_local_tax_bur.html

I say it's time to drop the propaganda of the campaign, and look at the reality of the situation.

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/01/measures_66_and_67_weighing_th.html

[medeak]

5. where does OR rate on property taxes? nt

[HuckleB]

6. The question that matters is where does the state rate on combined taxes. (Note the links provided.)

But our property taxes are the lowest on the west coast, and we have no sales tax.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/PropertyTaxesWhereDoesYourStateRank.aspx

[MissB]

7. Our prop taxes are limited to 3ish percent increases per year

(except for remodels and any additional voter approved local taxes. Doesn't answer your question, but thought I'd point out that they are constrained.

We also do not have a sales tax, and have a foolish kicker refund law.

[sandnsea]

8. Oregon Tax Facts

Taxes here really aren't prohibitive at all. Taxes on a $180,000, 3 br home, in my county are about $1200 a year.

http://www.movingtoportland.net/oregon_taxes.htm

[MissB]

9. It does vary by county, of course.

My taxes in multnomah county are significantly more, though my assessed value is more too. 330k assessed value and I paid 6400 with the discount.

[sandnsea]

11. Yikes, that's a lot

Congrats for your success!!

[medeak]

16. Oregon ties Hawaii for top income tax....wow

thanks for link:

Oregon has a personal income tax usually ranking in the top 10 percent of the nation. With the new rates approved by the Legislature in 2009, Oregon now ties with Hawaii for the nation’s highest income tax rates. Since Oregon does not have a sales tax, its primarily source of revenue is the income tax. Four other states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire) also do not have a sales tax although some Alaska cities do levy a sales tax. Over the years, Oregon voters have rejected a sales tax nine times.

[HuckleB]

17. And no sales tax!

As I noted before, what matters is the average of taxes.

Further, that top is just for the extreme wealthy.

[medeak]

19. am aware of no sales tax

come from out of state to shop lol

[HuckleB]

20. Thus there is no "wow" about the income tax.

[Political Heretic]

10. Actually, WA corporate taxes are HIGHER, even POST 66 & 67.

[JVS]

12. OMG taxes for rich people*, I'm sure they'll soon want their America BACK!!!!

*includes corporations as people

[cascadiance]

14. Yeah perhaps we should have had only one PROP, and tax those damn corps as PEOPLE!

and get MORE taxes with higher tax rates as a result!

[OutNow]

13. Great pro TV Ad Campaign - Tax The Rich (Yeah Baby)

I'm delighted that 66 and 67 passed. I'm sure there are many reasons for the significant margin, but the thing I really liked was the pro 66 and 67 TV ad campaign. It was very straight forward - the rich need to pay more taxes. No BS about revenue streams and stuff that will put you to sleep in 10 seconds; no vague reference to we all have to tighten out belts blah blah .....

It was a breath of fresh air. Every time I saw the ad it made me more pissed off at big business. I'm sure that was the intent. It worked. Maybe there aren't any DLCers in charge here in Oregon?

[depakid]

15. Odd that the impoverished rural counties that stood to gain the most- and pay the least

voted strongly against their and their communities' best interests on these very modest measures.

Just goes to show that- no matter what they logic- or the pathos, some have been so relentlessly propagandized over the years that they're prepared to cut off their own noses to spite their ideological faces.

The fairness issue couldn't be clearer to those in counties that'll foot the lion's share of the bills:

Chuck Sheketoff, an advocate of the taxes and head of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, said the vote was being closely watched by other states where the recession has similarly cut into their ability to stretch tax dollars to pay for education and public services.

“It’s absolutely a road map for other states,” he said. “The road map is to ask those who are still doing well during the downturn to contribute more to the public infrastructure that helped them create their wealth.”

[Arugula Latte]

18. Oh, those rural anti-66 & 67 folks are such rugged individualists.

I'm sure the next time their house is on fire they'll wave off the fire trucks and tell them to go back to the station.

[hayu_lol]

22. Here in Klamath County(K-Falls), we have all these...

right-wingers who outnumber Dems: 17,000-13,000(city and suburbs of K-Falls. A rural county with 65,000 total population. We don't do so well as the more liberal part of Oregon BUT our Dem votes are added to the state totals which, thanks to the I-5 corridor all the way north to Portland is pretty liberal.

A few bumps in the I-5 corridor are Grants Pass(religiously insane party)and probably Roseburg as well.

The most outspoken 'anti' 66 & 67 nuts are regular worker bees here locally. They almost never read these bills but are solidly against them. For years, the County had a sign on the wall at the airport stating that, among other business benefits in Klamath County we have a cheap labor force willing to work hard. The jobs that do come in(rare)are of the minimum wage variety. These worker bees are those who, in letters to the editor of the local paper, 'kain't read worth a damn nor spel either.' They are however, persistant in their protests.

Oregon's income tax really bites. Property tax, not so much. Might do the state good to consider chopping the income tax in half and going for a sales tax. Hard to say...but the sales tax proposals have gone down in flames consistantly for years.

At least these two bills were passed by the thinking members of the state's population. Drastic cutbacks in many areas were being contemplated: schools, mental health, and other people programs. The population that falls into the $250,000 or above bracket is very small compared to our southern neighbor(CA).

[depakid]

23. I often find that amusing, since so many of the jobs in the area depend, directly and indirectly-

on federal dollars.

[earth mom]

21. Why in the hell are there only 12 recs on this thread?! Isn't this what we've all been fighting for?

:wtf: