Hey anti-tax-fairness dudes, quit yer bellyachin'
Carla Axtman
Despite Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli's whiny bellyaching to the contrary, the Register-Guard sees exceptional fairness in the ballot titles for Measures 66 and 67.
The committee ignored state law that requires ballot titles be crafted in an impartial manner. In the end the committee produced a final product that is nothing more than a state-paid advertisement for the tax increases.The committee didn’t just skew the language to favor the tax increases, they left out important information that might reflect negatively on the tax increases, like the fact that these tax increases are retroactive to the beginning of this year. The ballot title also ignores that very important fact that these tax increases are permanent, not a temporary fix that expires after two years.
The ballot titles also leave out important but incriminating facts, like that companies not making a profit will see their minimum tax go from $150 to $100,000.
The ballot titles are also quick to include statements that are purely speculation, such as what type of cuts would have to be made if the tax increases are defeated. Unless the committee has a crystal ball, there is no way they can know what the specific cuts would have to entail.
The opponents specifically object to the final sentence in the two ballot titles, the one that mentions maintaining budgets for particular services. But that’s exactly what the two measures would do — it’s why the Legislature approved them in the first place. Enumerating the specific services of education, health care and public safety is justified, because those services make up about 90 percent of state spending.Still, Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes intends to appeal the ballot titles to the Supreme Court if the draft versions are approved after a public hearing next week. The group claims the attorney general’s office should have been given the job of crafting the ballot titles, as it does for most ballot measures.
Yet if the Legislature had wanted its panel, consisting of four Democrats and two Republicans, to stack the deck, it could have exempted the ballot titles from Supreme Court review. Instead, the Legislature, believing its members are most familiar with the tax measures, reserved the task of writing ballot titles for itself, but will allow its work to be evaluated by the court.
Supporters of the measures could also have complained. The first words in the ballot titles speak of raising taxes, and tax increases are generally unpopular. From supporters’ point of view, the ballot titles should read something like this: “Promotes fairness in taxation. Maintains essential state services; protects education, health and public safety.”
Opponents, for their part, might prefer wording along these lines: “Raises taxes on most productive sectors of society. Maintains bloated budgets, resulting in fewer jobs for everyone but state employees.”
The draft language follows a neutral path between those extremes. The ballot titles inform the voters without making arguments for either side. The panel has fulfilled its charge.
Apparently the ballot title is only acceptable to anti-tax fairness proponents if it says "all taxes suck and are bad..neener, neener".
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Oct 21, '09
Ted Ferrioli is mys Senator and as far as I know he has never even ever been to our town.
This is just another chance to whine about the evil Democrats and whatever the ballot titles were you can bet it wouldn't please Ted.
Oct 21, '09
The mindless anti-tax brigade has had a major impact on California politics. Now people are asking, "Will California become America's first failed state?"
There are times to be against taxes, but to respond to "taxes" with "hell, no taxes" like one of Pavlov's dog is a prescription for trouble.
Oct 21, '09
The mindless anti-tax brigade has had a major impact on California politics. Now people are asking, "Will California become America's first failed state?"
There are times to be against taxes, but to respond to "taxes" with "hell, no taxes" like one of Pavlov's dog is a prescription for trouble.
Oct 21, '09
Third attempt to post:
The mindless anti-tax brigade has had a major impact on California politics. Now people are asking, "Will California become America's first failed state?"
There are times to be against taxes, but to respond to "taxes" with "hell, no taxes" like one of Pavlov's dog is a prescription for trouble.
Oct 21, '09
Bill Bodden wrote: The mindless anti-tax brigade has had a major impact on California politics. Now people are asking, "Will California become America's first failed state?"
Right, Bill... California's top personal income tax rate and sales tax rate continue to be the highest in the nation.
MAJOR impact on California politics...
Oct 21, '09
"Right, Bill... California's top personal income tax rate and sales tax rate continue to be the highest in the nation."
Cherry picking doesn't explain it all, but let me respond with another cherry from the other orchard. Proposition 13 established that property taxes would be based on, if I recall correctly, 1975 assessed values. Thereafter, property taxes would be based on the sales prices for houses after Prop 13 was passed. Eventually, that meant some people were paying three, four and five times what others, including neighbors, were paying for similar properties. There came another proposition to try to resolves this unfairness, but it was turned down. Presumably, more people were enjoying lower tax rates and didn't give a damn about the others who overpaid. Naturally, those who were overpaying protested against new taxes while the underpayers kept budget funding low. And these low budgets are now synonymous with California's crisis.
California's sales and incomes taxes may be among the highest in the nation, but they aren't enough to keep California afloat.
Oct 22, '09
There are times to be against taxes, but to respond to "taxes" with "hell, no taxes" like one of Pavlov's dog is a prescription for trouble.
As is the continued targeting of one group of earners over others. It is undemocratic to continually expect “the rich” to pay for the bulk of the country’s services and programs.
Everyone should pay an equal percentage of what they make so all will have an equal stake in the system. Otherwise unscrupulous politicians are simply buying the votes of a majority of ignorant citizens while appealing to their baser interests. At the same time they penalize those who show initiative, frugality, drive, and ambition.
The system should be scrapped and overhauled.
Oct 22, '09
Truthfully, I expected better from the legislature... Regardless of your political alliance, Oregonians and businesses have the right to know how an issue will impact them.
For example, they should no the tax increases are retroactive and actually start on January 1, 2009, despite the fact that this isn't currently being withheld from Oregonians paychecks.
They should also know that this new structure, would tax unprofitable businesses up to $100,000 on a sliding scale based on their Oregon gross sales. Currently, every business that does not make a profit is charged a flat fee, which is admittedly too low at the current level.
During the campaign, both sides will share their spin, however voters should have all of the facts to make a decision when they read the voters' pamphlet. I'm not as disappointed with the inclusion of the impact on public services, but it's misleading to not acknowledge a 9% increase in state spending...
Oct 22, '09
"Everyone should pay an equal percentage of what they make so all will have an equal stake in the system. Otherwise unscrupulous politicians are simply buying the votes of a majority of ignorant citizens while appealing to their baser interests. At the same time they penalize those who show initiative, frugality, drive, and ambition."
Really? Let's say this would calculate to require everyone to give five percent of their income. Some people are struggling to get buy on just a few hundred a month - social security disability, minimum wage, part-time employment, unemployment insurance, etc. Let's take someone in that bracket getting, say, $1,000 a month. He or she would have to pony up 50 bucks. That's a lot of money for people in those circumstances. Now let's go towards the other end of the spectrum and look at someone making $100,000 a month. He or she would have to come up with $5,000 but would still be left with $95,000 to buy luxuries.
Then there is the usual simplistic nonsense from the right about people making lots of money through initiative. Many times (but not always) that "initiative" includes benefiting from the labor of minimum (less-than-a-living) wage employees. And, as is glaringly obvious from present economic news are the people in Wall Street who had the "initiative" to bribe Congress to repeal regulations that allowed them to pull off the biggest heist in American economic history.
My understanding is that most fair-minded people accept a progressive income tax system.
Oct 22, '09
"Then there is the usual simplistic nonsense from the right about people making lots of money through initiative."
If you have the right "initiative" here is A Guide for Making a Killing - in more ways than one.
Oct 22, '09
"Everyone should pay an equal percentage of what they make ".
In otherwords, you don't believe in the progressive income tax?
As I recall, the current rate on individuals is 9%.
So, someone making $10 an hour at a part time job (let's say $600 per month, although some jobs like that have different hours and thus diff. paychecks from week to week ) should pay 9% (roughly $54 per month on $600) and someone making around $200,000 should pay what amounts to $1500 per month? I use monthly figures because not every working person earns the same from month to month.
So, do you believe in the earned income tax credit? In tax loopholes for those who are wealthy enough to hire an accountant to find them? Do you believe in the earned income tax credit?
On which dollar should the 9% be charged? The first dollar earned? Should there be a standard deduction for individuals? For children?
And I hope you believe in withholding. Or maybe that person making $600 per month should have a savings account to keep that $54 per month in a safe place until tax time, and if they have to scrimp on food in order to save that money, tough luck?
Oct 22, '09
Retroactive taxes are unfair. Plain and simple. That in itself is enough to vote against the measures. But I will read them carefully. After this Spring's 'no means yes' attempt at deceit I trust nothing that this legislature has a hand in.
Yes California is a good example. A state where the state government blithely ignored all warnings about fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets and spent all the money in good years then couldn't figure out how to reduce spending in lean years.
A state where the government employees sued every time any attempt to scale back the sinecure wages was attempted. Bankruptcy would be good for California. They could scrap the unsustainable collective bargaining agreement and start over with wages AND BENEFITS in line with the real world (private sector).
I'm glad you brought them up. Oregon's government has been trying to emulate California for years and they are a harbinger of where we are going if government can't learn to restrain itself.
Oct 22, '09
...people in Wall Street who had the "initiative" to bribe Congress to repeal regulations that allowed them to pull off the biggest heist in American economic history.
On this we agree, the bulk of the current economic mess can be laid at the doorstep of politicians, both R’s & D’s, who through corruption, incompetence, greed, or all three, failed to execute the fiduciary duties invested in them by the taxpayers.
Sadly we see little acknowledgment of this by those culpable and only the usual fingerprinting and blame-gaming. The foxes continue to guard the henhouse.
Oct 22, '09
"On this we agree, the bulk of the current economic mess can be laid at the doorstep of politicians, both R’s & D’s, who through corruption, incompetence, greed, or all three, failed to execute the fiduciary duties invested in them by the taxpayers."
On this we agree.
Oct 22, '09
"I'm glad you brought them up. Oregon's government has been trying to emulate California for years and they are a harbinger of where we are going if government can't learn to restrain itself."
But don't make blame one-sided. The people must also accept responsibility for their failures.
Oct 22, '09
Yes it's true that the people must accept responsibility. After all, they are the ones who elected this current legislature.
Oct 22, '09
Thank you Bill B for bringing forward, and getting noticed, the fact that the neighbor's house is on fire. The "anti-tax-fairness dudes" aren't just failing to be cognizant of history, they're unaware of their present surroundings.
I tried to publish that before, here, but it must was "off-topic". Frankly, I can't think how it's not relevant to any subject concerning Oregon politics.
Oct 22, '09
Hey Buckman: let me guess - you would be among those targeted?
Oct 23, '09
Hey Buckman: let me guess - you would be among those targeted?
Nope, thanks to the Great Recession I’ll be just another American treading water to stay afloat.
And while your cynicism is understandable, I’d support a simpler, fairer tax system regardless of where I’d fall in it.
Nov 13, '09
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Nov 19, '09
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