With Oregon’s Feb. 3 special election approaching fast, proponents and opponents of Measure 30 are rallying voters to their respective sides.
Much is at stake on the ballot, which seeks to establish temporary income tax surcharges, as well as some increases and changes to corporate and property tax and an extension of the cigarette tax to 2005.
Since the measure was first referred to voters last year, voters have been subjected to differing viewpoints on whether to approve the tax measure.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski stressed the importance of the measure in alleviating the state’s financial crisis and keeping services intact.
“This measure is more a vote about you, your future — the future of the state — than it is about a debate about tax,” he said during a recent visit to the University.
Referring to the potential cuts, he said he is spending a lot of time talking to groups about the consequences of the measure.
“This vote sends a message to people,” he said. “If it goes down, the message it sends to people is that they’re not willing to make the investment.”
Education administrators also hope the measure will pass.
Oregon University System spokeswoman Di Saunders said if the measure fails, there will be immediate cuts of $7.5 million with potential for further cuts. Programs may be eliminated and tuition increased.
“There’s no really good or easy choices of where that money is going to come from within the system,” she said. “I think everyone hopes that it won’t fail.”
If the measure passes, Oregon stands to gain $1.2 billion from the entire tax package, more than $800 million coming directly from the income tax increases alone.
If it fails, the state will implement budgets cuts worth $544.6 million in education, human services, health care and public safety.
Libertarian Party of Oregon’s Executive Director Richard Burke doesn’t think Measure 30 is the answer to the state’s budget woes.
“Higher taxes doesn’t equal caring,” he said. “We can care for people by building a sustainable system.”
Burke said government expenditure has increased faster than the taxpayers’ ability to pay for it, and that Oregon’s current spending habits are wasteful. Therefore, he said, long-term structural changes in the government are needed to solve the state’s financial problems — something he said won’t happen if Measure 30 passes.
“We won’t make (changes) if we give them the money,” Burke said, adding that the measure was not so much a budget fix as it was a political fix.
He said passing the tax would hurt people, such as struggling working families. Rejecting it would also hurt other people, Burke added.
“The question is who are we going to hurt?” he said.
While Burke said he understands arguments about the need for various services, he said needs are infinite and the state’s resources are finite.
“If you want to show compassion, we have to do what’s necessary to fix the system so we can have money in the long run,’ he said.
But Debbie Dorris, spokeswoman for Our Oregon Coalition, a statewide coalition of businesses and other organizations, is in favor of the measure.
“We truly believe Measure 30 is the way to keep Oregon’s economic recovery on track,” Dorris said. She added that there would be drastic cuts to health care and education if the measure fails. For instance, schools might have to reduce school days. Parts of the Oregon Health Plan would also be dismantled and health insurance costs would go up, she said.
Dorris said opponents’ claims that the measure will hurt businesses are not valid. In fact, many small businesses are endorsing the measure, she said.
Suzy Rice, a University alumna and small-business owner, said she does not support the measure, however. She said she has experienced the ups and downs of the economy and feels further taxation will destroy small businesses.
“We can’t afford it,” she said.
Angela Wilhelms, campaign manager for the Taxpayer Defense Fund, said she also believes Measure 30 should be rejected.
“We believe that taxes are the absolutely worst thing you can do during a recession,” she said. She added tax increases may actually lead to reduced state revenue due to loss of jobs.
Wilhelms said some voters do not believe that the state government needs more money and are frustrated that the Oregon Legislature pushed the measure even after voters rejected Measure 28.
“They feel that government and legislators are not listening to them,” she said.
While Wilhelms said she is not in favor of budget cuts in programs like human services and education, she says the government should re-prioritize its spending.
“Those programs are being held hostage,” she said. “Those cuts don’t have to happen.”
The voters will decide on Feb. 3.