I think I was thinking exactly along the lines that Kevin was:

"The total of these kicker checks (approx $1.2 billion) is nearly the amount that Oregon lawmakers were forced to cut from the budget during the last recession...axing 100k people off the Oregon Health Plan, cutting weeks off the school year, leaving university buildings and highway bridges to further deteriorate. To you...it will represent 18.6% of the amount of taxes you paid last year, but it could mean someone's lifesaving medical prescription medication, education for a student, or much needed repairs for our bridges and highways. However, the Oregon Constitution forces the treasury to cut these checks anytime the state economist cannot predict, two years in advance, the state's revenue to an accuracy within 2%. So, because of this arcane law, we send this check back to you...neither spending it on much needed services, nor saving it for an inevitable rainy day...because that's what the irrational right wing nuts have told us a "responsible government" does.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to use this mailer for campaigning. A message like JTT's above, even with the "irrational right wing nuts" part removed, wouldn't be received well by some folks.

Maybe a simple explanation that implies the good that could have been done with the money, instead of sounding judgmental, might work; however, I think it would be difficult to come up with a message that won't piss a lot of people off.

I'm also remembering a few years ago - wasn't there a message added to the $300 tax rebate that lauded Bush for engineering the rebate? I remember thinking that was a very inappropriate use of taxpayer resources.

In private hands, that $1.1 billion could be used to fuel the private economy that creates jobs and wealth and raises people out of dependency on state services, while creating more of the economic activity that allows for future tax payments.

In Salem, that $1.1 billion could be used as the first installment on many new unfunded entitlements that would raise the tax burden on Oregonians and slow the economy.

Oh, and thanks to the kicker law, we'll get the economic growth instead of the bloated government. Thanks, Oregon's past statesmen, for the kicker, keeping Oregon's government from growing too fast - most of the time. (It just grew 20% this past budget.)

What we really need is a cap on total government spending.

Mike, everyone got a letter--tax cut or no tax cut. Tax cut letters explained the amount of the check and what great guys Bush and the GOP Congress were for providing it.

Those whose income was too low to qualify got letters bragging about the tax cut being passed by Congress and signed by Pres. Bush "but our records show your income was too low to qualify".

They needed a full piece of paper for paragraphs of that fluff and couldn't just send out notices "According to our records, your income level does not qualify you for the tax cut"?

Dear Oregon middle class - its your money. We took in more than we needed so we are giving some back. Thanks for your continued shouldering the majority of the burden in supporting the great state of Oregon.

Isn't it true that this check amounts to income you have to declare on your 2007 tax returns? Thanks! (NOT!)

The kicker "message" is a good idea - even better if it only went out with kicker checks of say $600 or more. People of that income level won't miss their little christmas present that much. If your kicker check is 50 or 100 bucks you probably really need that money, and deserve to keep it if you want w/o an appeal to your sense of charity.

The kicker "message" is a good idea - even better if it only went out with kicker checks of say $600 or more. People of that income level won't miss their little christmas present that much. If your kicker check is 50 or 100 bucks you probably really need that money, and deserve to keep it if you want w/o an appeal to your sense of charity.

Here's some money that the state didn't spend because it didn't need to. We hope that when the next economic downturn comes, you will remember this and instead of closing schools and not prosecuting ID thieves and drug users, you'll agree that a small tax increase is appropriate.

Here's some money that the state didn't spend because it didn't need to. We hope that when the next economic downturn comes, you will remember this and instead of closing schools and not prosecuting ID thieves and drug users, you'll agree that a small tax increase is appropriate. Robert Harris, The money is not the states, it’s the tax payer’s money, and the state taxed us too much. Schools don’t get shut down during and economic downturn, in my 40 years of life I have never seen a school shut down because of lack of money from the state, so that is a lie on your part. Tax increases need to be approved by the voters in this state you just can’t take peoples money without the approval of voters, example, M50. If you feel so strongly about the kicker check, maybe you should send yours back to the state so they can spend it instead of you. The money I get back is going into my two kid’s college fund and maybe some Christmas gifts. The state got a 20% revenue increase this last time around; did Oregonians get 20% raises? The Gov gave huge raises to state managers, some people got $35,000.00 dollar a year raises, that’s a lot of money. If I were the Gov. I would be happy to give money back to the hard working people of Oregon, more money in your pocket is better for the state.

This is my suggestion for a letter:

Don't you think it's funny how people complain about having to pay taxes and then the same people complain when they get some of it back? Stop complaining and take the money.

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