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Jan-07-2010 17:26printcomments

Op Ed: FAIR Tax-SHARE: YOU Pay DEARLY, THEY Don't
WHY Oregon Lifestyle Demands Fair-Deal For ALL

The truth is that even given the entire impact of Measures 66 & 67, Oregon will rocket upward to occupy 45th-place rather than 48th!

Salem-News.com aerial view of Oregon Capitol by Tim King
Salem-News.com aerial view of Oregon Capitol by Tim King

(EUGENE, Ore.) - Oregon’s amazing lifestyle offers “fair-and-square” opportunities for an intriguing variety of residents, in a state blessed by both natural resources and very strong location for true entrepreneurial endeavor.

That lifestyle is under open, concentrated, vicious threat of truly extreme damage, forcing further deep and- dirty slashes to education at all levels and to every one of essential social services for our economic crisis struck fellow Oregonians. FEAR by false-emphasis and furious tv-ads is the major weapon whipping Oregonians into desperate misunderstanding of this horrendous current situation.

FEAR is what propagandists use when they know the facts run solidly against them, on the record. FEAR is their weapon-of-choice, used by predators everywhere whenever the truth is fully in sight. Find out the truth about Measures 66 & 67 while there is still time to make sure YOU vote wisely. (Link: ocpp.org opens source for full detail.)

Many Oregonians do NOT understand that the State budget by law must be balanced. That forces painful choices by those specially selected to do precisely that difficult chore. That’s WHY we elect legislators; to study complex situations and THEN decide what they MUST do.

That process was well, truly AND comprehensively pursued to rational, reasonable completion, on the public record for all to “see with own eyes” AND understand. What it determined --on the full public record! - is an amazing story of accumulated pressures prevailing for SEVENTY YEARS to distort, and now openly and obviously pervert, our Oregon tax system.

The truth is that even given the entire impact of Measures 66 & 67, Oregon will rocket upward to occupy 45th-place rather than 48th! in the national authoritative listing we will move from three states from the BOTTOM of the national list to ONLY TWO higher...FIVE from the bottom.

Do YOU really believe that small a change in tax status will force ANY business to leave the state? Do YOU really believe that action will scare away ANY incoming new job-provider ? Do YOU really believe such small-change will cause catastrophic job-loss for Oregon business operations?

IF you do, I have some waterfront land awaiting a qualified buyer, over in beautiful Arizona! Most improbable business- dialog of this year must then be: CEO to stockholders: “We’re disgruntled over that $3-per-week tax-RISE --so we’re quitting Oregon!” So much for unjustified fear of sudden, violent tax escalation-claimed by predatory “contributors” paying for distorted. perverted television-ad attack on our elected Legislature and its ethical, efficient decision for the commonweal.

For SEVENTY YEARS far too many corporations and businesses have manipulated and managed far too-easy State-revenue/reducing expensive “tax-breaks”: Special/interest-obtained ways of stating realities inevitable for all competitive business operations.

Many business keep two sets of accounts, one for stockholders and others cognizant of realities, and the other for specific use simply to justify “tax-breaks”! Of 48 tax-breaks now available, FORTY have been set up since 1980. That reflects national efforts deeply damaging in every state, well-reported underway, and heavily subsidized by “corporate campaign contributions” from lavishly-paid lobbyists.

Corporate tax share is DOWN 78 PERCENT since the ‘70s. Oregon corporations pay LESS STATE TAX than they did A GENERATION AGO. Tax revenues lost to the State of Oregon since 1975 total at least $10.9 BILLION If corporations paid-NOW the same 18.5 PERCENT paid 30 years ago, State revenue would rise $1.8 BILLION yearly. The Legislature NOW seeks ONLY RATIONAL, REASONABLE fair-share increments -- To avoid desperate, dangerous, debilitating slashes in education for Oregon’s future, and to provide crisis-driven aid for fellow Oregonians.

When tax-payment default is allowed for devious reasons, by entrepreneurs who continue full operation, the cause must become a major concern for every taxpayer --felt IMMEDIATELY “in the wallet”. That’s the inescapable consequence of corporations avoiding their fair and reasonable share of viable operational costs --what supplies the surround demanded for all modern business operations Those losses are already drastic to Oregon state income, as shown by the simple arithmetic already cited.

That sorry situation will continue -- if we allow predators to prevail while seeking still further exemption from paying their fair share. THIRTY-ONE FREELOADERS cost us all taxes from $1 million taxable incomes --via the ridiculous 70- year-old “$10 minimum”. MORE THAN 5,000 Oregon corporations earning a profit here PAID NO CORPORATE INCOME TAX “beyond that measly ten dollars”.

TAX BREAKS now allow many Oregon profit making corporations to pay ABOUT HALF what was due as an equitable share on their gains. 70 YEARS IS TOO LONG WITHOUT CHANGE.

Can anything make more changing impact on our Oregon lifestyle and competitiveness in the now burgeoning new commerce/trade/Internet world of the 21st Century than damaging the foundation for the future: Our schools and universities?

Can anything add denigration, deficit-dealt delay and lack of support for our deprived, disabled and economic/crisis damaged-dismayed fellow citizens than woeful lack of funding for that essential support society has learned must be provided for every human being? To neglect rational, reasonable, universal human rights support costs far more in the long run than to “do it right, when really needed.”

To allow predation on human rights by those seeking to pervert --and thus avoid-- the natural costs for business operations is to allow the few to bleed the many in the name of special privilege: As in “tax-breaks”.

NOW even very rational, reasonable changes to reform and reshape that default-by-privilege --and its consequences forcing further huge cuts in essential state revenues -- are being opposed via an initiative setting aside complex and carefully-considered action by our representatives in full-session comprehensive consideration. We elect them precisely for their pragmatic and profound full-consideration of these difficult, complex issues such as the tax burden and how best to share it, in the most equitable way.

Those inevitable costs --demanded to create the conditions for business operations in Oregon-- continue to accrue, inevitably, whether-or-not the business generates any so-called “profit”. Thus, when “tax breaks” relieve any business -- profit-making or not! -of their fair share resulting, inexorably, from that surround-situation, SOMEBODY must make up that surround-cost. That’s WHY our elected representatives chose to set up the small changes in corporate tax burden on the foundation of what businesses actually produce NOW --rather than “profits” however shown OR hidden -known to be the distorted result of “tax breaks” --nationally and notoriously demonstrated as manipulated by far too many businesses.

That sad situation allows business to “privatize its profits and socialize its losses” --long a goal of national, state and some local business groups; it has now been largely-achieved by over-simplified denial of realities, allowed by our unique and long/outgrown and outmoded “$10 minimum corporate tax”-break. That “ten bucks and out” dollar/deal culminates the whole pyramid of politically-manipulated machinations known to be the massive effort of business groups over many decades, at every level from local to national.

IF ever EVERY American business operated on good faith, fair share tax payment, that time has long ago gone “the way of the ages” --along with all else changed or discarded under demands from early years of the 21st Century, What worked earlier to guarantee easy pickings for the few at the cost of the many has become “ordinary operational procedure and practice” for most. When that action is induced by manipulated fear and indirection --and perversion of fact-- for the private protection of tax-break gains for the few, that is extreme damage to the very heart of human-rights protection and to our American Constitutional concept of fair governance.

Prepare for more to come on this continuing problem,too. The very-much-larger tax necessity you may prevent is “the sales tax” --with even larger problems than this rational, reasonable reform NOW for fair-sharing by Oregon business ownership. Will our frustrated Legislature start work on that one, in the upcoming special session set for absolutely unavoidable action beginning Feb. 2?

YOU will get to pay ALL of IT...nearly sure to arrive if corporate and business interests are allowed to escape THEIR FAIR SHARE NOW! NEVER FORGET: OREGON’S LAW DEMANDS BUDGET BALANCE.

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At 21, Henry Clay Ruark was Aroostook Editor for the Bangor, Maine DAILY NEWS, covering the upper 1/4 of the state. In the ‘40s, he was Staff Correspondent, then New England Wires Editor at United Press-Boston; later Editor for the Burlington, Vermont 3-daily group owned by Wm. Loeb, later notorious at Manchester, New Hampshire UNION LEADER for attacks on Democratic Presidential candidates.

Hank returned to Oregon to complete M. Ed. degree at OSU, went on to Indiana University for Ed.D. (abd) and special other course-work; was selected as first Information Director for NAVA in Washington, D.C.; helped write sections of NDEA, first Act to supply math, science, foreign language consultants to state depts. of education; joined Oregon Dept. of Education, where he served as NDEA administrator/Learning Media Consultant for ten years.

He joined Dr. Amo DeBernardis at PCC, helping establish, extend programs, facilities, Oregon/national public relations; moved to Chicago as Editor/Publisher of oldest educational-AV journal, reformed as AV GUIDE Magazine; then established and operated Learning Media Associates as general communications consultant group. Due to wife’s illness, he returned to Oregon in 1981, semi-retired, and has continued writing intermittently ever since, joining S-N in 2004. His Op Eds now total over 560 written since then.




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Hank Ruark January 12, 2010 4:09 pm (Pacific time)

To all: "Under Measure 66, 97.5% of taxpayers will NOT see their taxes increase." "Under Measure 67, over 97% of Oegon businesses will pay $150 or see no change. Oregon will continue to have the lowest business taxes on the West Coast." Source: Legislative Revenue Office. SO whom do you now believe ? For reasons-why it should be the Revenue Office, see my next Op Ed re"Californication" put into place by very well- paid skilled communicators by woeful distortion/perversion of public record facts. "Been there, done that !"


Hank Ruark January 10, 2010 2:31 pm (Pacific time)

D.B.:

Did your friend at that college with new "green" heating-system responsibly sseek out savings made by green system over most of the time ?

Engineers build system on that basis, must provide fail-safe added-heat, but that does not offset total-system savings over long run.

He better make sure of fact prior to passing along rumor or irresponsible statement.

Some enterprising report may just hear, follow up, find out facts, and publish them...if the system is failing OR false, makes great story; but if on other hand employee is irresponsible with rumor-only again great story...with full interest in protecting the reputations of both rumor-monger and taxpayer if indeed the system does NOT really reach what it was sold to achieve.

Why NOT suggest to him that he be "whistle-blower", seek out strong reporter, give him unvarnished facts if he has any.

Given testable fact he can stand on them, be hero, and become responsible relator of falsity in building.

Otherwise he better spend his time in textbook study...


Hank Ruark January 10, 2010 11:13 am (Pacific time)

Friend Benson: Per responsible routine here just re/read my last to you. Must add: Appointments to speak with legislators never hard to get in practice by any citizen in my experience as one --sometimes more reluctant to welcome in reporter role ! IF DO encounter real delay, simple to send Registered Letter to which attention is demanded by sig on public record. Mark it with cc to editor of major daily, to then guarantee attention rapidly. Can easily also use emailer which again demands attention since creates citable record, easily shared with reporters. Show cc to press, radio/tv, for even more rapid action. I.e., if one really wants hearing for real query and/or dissent, it CAN, Often IS, and Remains easy to get with a bit of determination. Note: Legal request to talk at hearing on any measure then demands official response,also very useful for press purposes esp. if refused or delayed. Re "waste" irresponsibly stated, document by details, or accept reality it is street talk always encountered in every similar situation, by those who can only bitch due to realities encountered when proof-sought as demanded for any realistic action. On that one, can document action-achieved at both state and national level, both as individual and as speaker for association and other groups. NDEA-'58, first fed/funding for ed. support via learning media and consultants in math, science,f/languages was one such --with language we wrote inserted by Sen. Wayne Morse word-for-word in ONE day...


Hank Ruark January 9, 2010 5:29 pm (Pacific time)

Friend Doug B.: So now we're back to only your continued commentary --with no ref. checkable vs state funds squirreled away, no direct evidence other than continuing derogatory comment which can only be termed "street talk". Re OrDepEd,until, unless you,too, have spent decade there, "see with own eyes" for me must stand...damned little waste, profound professional effort, fine people, strong professional ethics and very strong, highly professional application of all the law in Oregon will allow. Sorry for analysis forced here by your continued allegation with no support. Yours demanded that, about as honest as I can get, and with current experience then with all fifty other states via professional association we formed to be critical enough in our professional area that we named it in a way sure to irritate the Chiefs themselves and emphasize our purpose. Regardless of allathat, it cannot possibly serve any real purpose to allow courageous action by Legislature to be negated by further beginnings of "Californication" here,with this private-gain initiative as horrendous early symptom.


douglas benson January 9, 2010 11:19 am (Pacific time)

Oops that was REP Kevin Cameron


douglas benson January 9, 2010 10:19 am (Pacific time)

Well Hank I dont work in goverment ,I'm not the most brilliant guy in the world ,but every time we have a budget "crisis" some of our officials refference these accounts .Mostly the party that does not hold the majority .For example this time around the REP led the charge for a full audit of all accounts REp Courtney and others this time but like I said there is no intrest in this by those that want more taxes . I recall them saying we were 200 mill or so short several years ago they didnt get more taxes and then oh gee we found 200 mill . Anywho if you have more abillity to get answers ,I get no luck asking for an appointment to see folks like this and believe I have tried not on this issue but when I ask they give me the party line and sorry we dont have time mabey three or four months from now long after the bill is long gone .You refference the dept. of ed. an underfunded dept. that the state has a legal obligation to fully fund ,they were sued by a group demanding that the law be enforced and the court says they have no authority to compel the leg. but there is waste there too . The guy that lives down the street from me works at a state college that is refitting the heating system to some new fangled green system never mind that this system will cost much more to operate they get extra funds to do it they can cry for money later lots of money . I think he said something like 500 gal of deisel a day to back it up when needed . The point is I dont only speak for myself when I say if they want more taxes they need to audit ,cut ,merge .ect first to gain more support .Did they do any of these things before asking for more taxes ? No. How many times have we heard we are cutting this many jobs but in reallity they have created new higher paying positions that those workers fill ,granted they were allready scheduled to be added but all I and many others see is a shell game .


Hank Ruark January 8, 2010 7:09 pm (Pacific time)

D. Benson: Appreciate your inputs but so far they are ONLY YOURS. Re two-year/guarantee accounts, prove up what you say by direct ref.to them by name, title OR other checkable ref...and I WILL check ! Re state/agency ops, have had close contact with many and am amazed at what they manage given what they must contend with every day. Spent decade ensconced in OrDptED, administered $9 Million fed/funds, matched by local districts, with .015 error rate...not exceptional, either. Re smuck getting consultant fee, depending on demanded responsibility level for the consequences IF he were WRONG, can see that as justified... corporations pay likewise allatime. Final fact: IF we distrust, we can damn well remove...and that beats bitching here with nothing except yr words for checkable fact. Put up link or title or source or whatever, and we WILL CHECK...you might be right, and if so we may be able to assist you in your reasonable, rational dissent. But empty words without the facts to check don't get much done...


John Lott January 8, 2010 6:40 pm (Pacific time)

The job picture is in very big trouble. The unemployment rate might be stuck at 10 percent, but the more detailed numbers in the Department of Labor's Household survey data paint a more dire picture. The number of people with a job fell by 589,000 in December. Even worse, the number of people not in the labor force grew by an astounding 843,000 during just the last month. The Household survey data is what is used to measure the unemployment rate. To get an idea of the size of this increase in the number of people not in the labor force, since February, when the stimulus package was passed, I repeat, the number of people not in the labor force has grown by 3.2 million. But the number for December represents 26 percent of the entire increase over that period of time. The problem of people getting discouraged and giving up looking for work is ballooning. Of course, they have had good reasons to be discouraged.


Hank Ruark January 8, 2010 4:25 pm (Pacific time)

Today's OREGONIAN edition front-pages 4-col. banner headline: "Ad on state budget is wrong; workers getting pay cut, not raises". Turns out spectacular color ad spouts untruth, now admitted by 66 and 67 opponents. Workers got cut, lost step raise, forced into 10-14/day unpaid furloughs. "Less is more" reasoning (see report) proves up point re intent to deceive. "See with own eyes" for sure proof of intent to mislead, misinform: YOU evaluate !!


douglas benson January 8, 2010 3:35 pm (Pacific time)

Hank you asked if we trust those we elected to fairly represent our intrests .You're joking right? Thats the major problem we dont trust them one little bit with good reason .And you still wont talk about the reserve accounts that are still there .If not use them now when? Is this crisis not bad enough ?We need an accounting firm to wade through this mess ,the multiple entries and the like to get to the bottom of things .One that cant be bought .And start cutting the fat and waste I would suggest job by job department by department evaluation and duplication of tasks means someone gots to go .Thats what the public wants to see happen but you wont find one legislator to support such action they just want more taxes .Do that and honestly tell the people we need more money , then you will get more support for taxes. I have worked on state jobs and have seen them waste lots of money in construction projects . Ever wonder why they allways run over budget ? And thats after they pay some smuck 300,000 for "consultation"


Al Marnelli January 8, 2010 2:04 pm (Pacific time)

Mr. Ruark I see that you never really did address the factual information I provided with any facts of your own, outside of your opinion. Have you ever ran a successful business in which you were able to meet a payroll year after year? Many people out there who have that experience above are now failing, and if you talk to them they will tell you that one of their primary problems is the mounting tax and fee increases coming out of all levels of government. Certainly these are contentious issues for both sides of the argument and in a few short weeks we will have the voter's response. I see that there are still a few people out there that attempt to find refuge by using Keynesian economic theory. That has certainly been a tough road to go down for there is a plethora of historical evidence that clearly shows it's utter failure in turning a downed economy around. In fact there is not one place where it has ever worked, not one, ever. Your statement: "Given consensus of most economists, fact of job-losses now ending, with signs of new job growth proliferating, more than offsets your points here." On the contrary, just today the feds acknowledged that though November showed a possible glimmer of hope in job development (during a normal time of increased holiday hiring), December's unemployment numbers were worse that they feared. And considering how the feds are low-balling possible upbeat results, we are still sinking deeper into a recession. We have twice the number unemployed from just a year ago and still falling. Obama in a speech today said he would be cutting taxes in some parts of the economy. Good news. Now if that can be done in all sectors of the economy we can get America back into positive numbers. Unlikely that will happen anytime soon. Seems that there are plenty of horses coming to the waterhole who don't know how to drink the water. Maybe it will take another election?


Hank Ruark January 8, 2010 1:11 pm (Pacific time)

Friend Al: You wrote:"There are other ways in which to balance the budget, and cutting spending is a reasonable way to begin." SO WHY NOT "name the ways", per my challenge ? Until, unless you DO SO, your words remain totally UNmeaningful, empty, only YOUR feelings for whatever reason-stated here. Your other points are fully misinterpreting, even perhaps misunderstanding, legislative process in producing budgets. Have you ever covered any such situations as reporter ? Every point you raise was deeply analyzed, strongly discussed, subjected to full study by experts in every area involved, BEFORE this Legislature acted. (set aside "filler irrelevancies" re farm life and personal motivations, all meaningless in this dialog.) Question NOW becomes: Do WE the people understand the realities and support those we chose by election --democratic process in action !-- to deal competently, courageously and completely with complexities well recognized and fully addressed ? You wrote:"Currently the only corporations paying the corporate minimum are businesses with "no taxable income." They aren't making a profit! C corporations that make a profit pay corporate income taxes on their profits." Are you really so naive as to believe business DOES NOT seize every possible way to show whatever is needed to avoid, reduce, kill necessity to pay ANY tax ? Surely anyone out of high school should know by now the American way is to reduce any such income-threat by any means possible ? Some even step over the legal line every year --see any daily almost any day for detailed reports. In D.C. 'way back in the '50s --and ever since !--this has long been a laugher at any party or frank-dialog meeting. It remains so,surely, in the shadow of massive, major, many corporate depredations well and truly reported nationally today. Enron, anyone ? Won't name rest of 50-or-so... OR do you contend that every possible Oregon situation is lily/livered/"innocent" ? "Tax-breaks" are not so termed simply for convenience, sir ! Every one is set up to seem logical and right, to aid the commonweal --lobbyists get paid astronomically for that very complex work...as I have experience to know truth. You wrote:"Measure 67 supporters say a tax on a corporations "gross sales" is a tax based on ability to pay. This couldn't be more wrong. "A tax on profits"- is a tax based on ability to pay." Clearly any enterprise still ongoing "in business" must have made enough to survive. Whether or not "profit" is shown or avoided --legally or not !-- fact of continuance shows they paid costs and then kept owners alive, for more chance-to-"profit" later. I.e.they continue to win in game of "privatizing profit and socialize its losses". That's precisely WHY our Legislature set up this change as they did...recognizing the realities, long concealed by your erroneous interpretation. Re job growth, that depends on whose stats you choose to use, as well as how you apply what we now know re current worldwide economic debacle and its causes. Given consensus of most economists, fact of job-losses now ending, with signs of new job growth proliferating, more than offsets your points here. You overlook massive major point learned ever since War II re Keynesian impacts and how government is indubitably last resort in these drastic, radical, recurring, resonating flat-out failures of what we term "capitalism" --now well reduced to 'corporatism" --with evasion of natural cost such as taxation to support the essential/surround demanded for any business. Your participation honestly appreciated here for its real impact on insights from all concerned, hopefully leading to deeper understandings of the realities absolutely unavoidable. Fair share is fair share --and facts show that's not the case in Oregon NOW, as the 21st Century surely demands for any progress.


douglas benson January 8, 2010 1:09 pm (Pacific time)

Dont get me wrong I hate it when I pay comp. like PGE 6,000 and they pay $10 in taxes . But as long as those in power continue to fund wars that take all available credit there will be no jobs .So since the DEMs are in power and refuse to end this insanity I choose to use my vote as protest I will not vote for one single DEM or DEM issue .No fat to cut? Get real lets start with the legislatures salary ,next we can move on to the state police ,consultation fees ,no new police ,fire ,SWAT or other high priced toys ,make do with what they have now. get rid of state worker positions that pay too much like supervisors that were created just to fulfill mandatory raises . The list goes on and I dont even work for the state budget office and I know there are tons of fat to cut we never even hear about . Lets not forget that there are reserve accounts that the state can fund all programs for two years with no new revenue . Unless they would like to admit they "lost" the money .


Al Marnelli January 8, 2010 10:45 am (Pacific time)

This coming election is not about raising some corporate fee from ten dollars to some other fee level. Currently the only corporations paying the corporate minimum are businesses with "no taxable income." They aren't making a profit! C corporations that make a profit pay corporate income taxes on their profits. Measure 67's replacement for the minimum is a new "no profits" tax ranging from $150 to $100,000 a year. Putting such a burden on unprofitable corporations will further weaken struggling businesses, forcing them to increase prices, reduce wages and benefits and even lay off workers, which is happening all over as it is is now. As it is the vast majority of new businesses fail even during good times. Most states understand this. Only 19 have a minimum tax paid by companies with no taxable income. All but two of these states have a flat-rate minimum, like Oregon's. Only New York and Minnesota have graduated minimum taxes based on total sales, similar to measure 67. Those states' taxes go up to $5000. Measure 67's "so-called minimum tax is "20 times higher." Oregon reports show 66% of tax filers "targeted" for the Legislatures personal income tax increases are small and family-owned businesses or farms. The fact is most businesses don't pay state business taxes through the corporate income tax, these owners pay these taxes on their personal income tax returns. Measure 67 supporters say a tax on a corporations "gross sales" is a tax based on ability to pay. This couldn't be more wrong. "A tax on profits"- is a tax based on ability to pay. By the way, most farmers/ranchers don't pursue this lifestyle to get rich. They do so because they love doing it, working on the land and sharing it's bounty with us. If we did not have these small businesses out there competing with the super large corporations, we would really be in a fix then. Mr. Ruark you pose some interesting questions, but as you know we have a severe recession coupled with a state unemployment rate of 12% plus, which may mean that possibly one out of five (20%) may actually be unemployed when you factor in those who have had their unemployment benefits expire and quit looking for work, or are underemployed. Of course we can also factor in all those high school and college graduates who don't even get on the radar for the unemployment percentage count, I wonder what number that would show? I imagine many people do not know that on a national level the only job growth is in government jobs. Who pays the freight for those jobs? The private sector, which is bleeding revenue and jobs. We are in a bad situation and raising taxes is the last thing we need to do. Can you provide some situation where raising taxes during a severe recession/depression turned around the economy? There is no easy fix that's for sure, but there are some things that can make our current problems even worse.


Hank Ruark January 8, 2010 8:21 am (Pacific time)

D. Benson: "Sales tax" is sure looming danger brought on by fat-heads who have no conception of full rigors in state budgeting. Past adamant NO-vote will change when schools cut down to 3-day/attendance, kids do their natural, drive parents wild at home; homeless and now unemployed crowd streets to beg for bare subsistence. Think it CAN"T HAPPEN ? Saw it take place in Maine in FIRST REAL DEPRESSION, which we now face internationally by huge consensus, making usual fiscal/financial policies so much political/pander/fodder. Think "miracle of the free market" will matter much ? Think "government IS the problem !" --slogan coined by actor playing personal game as President...see biog. "DUTCH". Desperate times demand full return to further state aid, since there ain't ANYthing else, lesson learned in First Depression by millions. Where were YOU then ?? OR since ? Sleek, secure, paid and supported by state action re law and roads and schools and security and civilization? Moral-muscled corporations and businesses seek to do what is right, NOT what is RIGHT. Massive manipulation by dollar-driven evading fair share speaks for THEM ALONE, not large majority of most businesses. Most Oregonians recognize the rational, reasonable, fair and equitable nature here, despite paid propaganda by those who can continue laissez-faire -- already made "permanent" for 70 YEARS !! See mine to AL M. and ADD YOUR LIST OF FAT/SLASHES !! IF you CANNOT PRODUCE NOW, WITH FULL ATTENTION HERE FOR ALL TO SEE...yr obvious stance is highly evident, starting with taking foot out of mouth. We ELECT LEGISLATORS to do the job COURAGEOUSLY. When they DO, we MUST THEN support them, OR SIMPLY ABANDON OUR FORM OF GOVERNANCE via representatives, leaving "Californication" as the ONLY other choice... !!


douglas benson January 8, 2010 6:56 am (Pacific time)

If you think for one second that the voters will vote for a sales tax you dont know our history .Its been tried many times and the answer is allways NO. Our state goverment needs to cut the fat and not the programs that directly effect the public .Give them this money and measure 58 will be enacted filling our prisons with low level offenders and forcing huge spending and reductions in real criminals sentences . We need to cut the fat .No new taxes untill the spending is cut . I also have given our democratic represenatives notice that as long as they support and vote for continuing the war they have lost my vote for office and all issues .While they cry about money they spend it like it was going out of style .Have you seen the new SWAT veh. and Crime scene tractor trailer ? Most likely 1+-2 million easy . New troopers who do nothing but increase revenue with taxes in the form of tickets . Ect ect ect NO new taxes untill the fat is cut .


Hank Ruark January 7, 2010 7:55 pm (Pacific time)

Friend Al:
  Every point you raise was beaten to death in fully informed study by our elected representatives.

  You are correct in only one point: Given loss of rational and reasonable tax revenue as in this action, THEN this same Legislature MUST SLASH EVEN MORE UNMERCIFULLY on education and humans-hurting services, since they represent by far the largest part of any state budget.

  YOU WROTE: "There are other ways in which to balance the budget, and cutting spending is a reasonable way to begin."

  SO state your reasonable way right out here in the public eye, rather than seeking easy shelter behind empty words.
  Tell every parent and all responsible Oregonians flat out facts of where, what, how and why you would cut what you state is easy-to-do.

  What do YOU suggest, friend Al ?
  Start with shutting down State Troopers ? All  they do is speed around in flashy  cars, right ??

  Go to two or three-day state agency services ?
  Most agencies only cost us while providing easy resting spots for the overpaid and unproductive, right ?
 
  Cant touch school lunch -- already hurt !
  Families need to feed kids, anyhow, right ? Even if now  unemployed and on food boxes.
 
  Cannot add ten more kids to each classroom, out of seats and low on learning tools --   Teachers spending their own dollars to make things work !!

  Cannot remove more dollars from comm/colleges and rest of higher education without making it much lower in both quality and opportunities --and forcing fine teachers to seek professional future in other states.

  SO, Al ? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE LEGISLATURE DO when faced with law demanding THEY BALANCE THE  STATE BUDGET ?

  IF IT IS SO EASY, SPELL IT OUT RIGHT HERE AND NOW FOR ALL TO SEE...


Frances January 8, 2010 12:04 am (Pacific time)

Poor, poor corporations. Maybe they should be using all the money they are paying for ads to pay taxes with! Business ruined our country's economy, our state needs more unemployment money for the unemployed, more help for people who can't afford health care, more money for food stamps for all the middle class people who can't even afford to eat anymore. I think Jesus would want a couple making $250,000 a year to skip their tropical vacations this year and pay taxes to help those who got screwed because of business practices in this country! Sorry, I've been around a while and all I have seen is business getting more and more greedy and selfish. It hurts me to have to pay taxes, I do without, I put off getting my stove fixed - there is nothing wrong with expecting those who have so much more than me to at least pay enough taxes that they feel it as much as I do. I am almost to the point I wish some of the crazies in our country would quit shooting students, co-workers, their wives and children and start picking off a few CEOs. I am sick of being a piggy bank for the rich. I am a PERSON with a heart and soul not a depersonalized "consumer". Business is not creating any jobs! Business only cares about their bottom line. How about business cuts their spending. And by the way, don't ask me to feel sorry for poor farmers who get paid NOT to plant things.


Al Marnelli January 7, 2010 6:42 pm (Pacific time)

This is a tax on all corporations (even the small farmer and that little coffee shop on the corner)who will pass the cost of doing business onto the consumers of those businesses. Those who cannot pass on these costs will close. You know, cost increases during a severe recession does not make any sense. You buy food? Clothing? Fuel? Actually any consumer good will essentially be priced at a higher rate to cover these taxes. To assume that this just raises a corporate tax from ten bucks to $150 or so, well if you believe that I have some bongo drums for sale that Gilligan used to own. It is simply a novel way of introducing a "sales tax", and a regressive one at that. I strongly suggest you look at the pro's and con's in the voter's pamphlet, look at who is funding the two sides, then figure out who is creating the jobs and the wealth that actually provides the funding for all funders. There are other ways in which to balance the budget, and cutting spending is a reasonable way to begin. Just use last year's revenue budget indexed with the current inflation rate and already we have tremendous savings. Note: Did you notice that people on social security and VA benefits did not get a COLA this year and probably not next year because the government said the inflation and consumer costs did not go up. So why does the state of Oregon have a budget way above last years costs? States like California and New Jersey have done the same thing, and then some, always with the promise that this "one" [tax/fee] would fix the budget problems. Yeah, right, they are bankrupt. People who are good at spending other people's money (OPM) are pretty glib, so once again read the voter's pamphlet and reflect. Many other states have similar tax structures as Oregon's and much fairer ways in their taxing methods.

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Sean Flynn was a photojournalist in Vietnam, taken captive in 1970 in Cambodia and never seen again.