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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

News / Politics Rightwing Group Fights Governor's Tax Proposals

Posted by Matt Davis on Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 11:15 AM

Right wing anti-tax groups have filed two referendum proposals with this morning to refer the Governor's two tax hikes to the ballot.

Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the two new taxes into law yesterday: One increasing the minimum tax on corporations from $10 to a whopping $150, and the other increasing the income tax on folks earning more than $125,000 a year from 9% to 10.8%. I know: HARSH, right? Oh, no...you're right...they're tiny changes in a year where Oregon has faced a $3billion budget hole for services like health care, public safety and education.

Nevertheless a group calling itself Oregonians Against Job Killing Taxes has filed for the referendums this morning, which would send the tax increases to the voters in a January 26th election. So far it has raised almost $200,000 from homebuilders, car dealers, grocers and general contractors. The group's treasurer happens to be lobbyist Mark Nelson—whose most controversial clients in Salem include Anheuser-Busch, Pfizer, and Reynolds American (big beer, big pharma, and big tobacco). Nelson was named most Satanic lobbyist in our recent survey in Salem:
162a/1248199686-nelson-570.jpg

ANTI-TAX LOBBYIST MARK NELSON: ILLUSTRATION BY JESS HIRSCH...

Nelson's group has hired a signature-gathering firm called "voice of the electorate" (VOTE) which is led by former Republican party chairman Kevin Mannix. The group will spend half a million bucks to gather the necessary 55,179 signatures by the September 25 turn-in deadline. My birthday!

Nelson was at a meeting in Portland this morning and is yet to return the Mercury's call for comment.

 

Comments (8) RSS

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1
"Corporations" that make that much are in fact "people" who pay your salary.
How is that unemployment rate going Oregon?
Posted by D on July 21, 2009 at 11:25 AM · Report
2
Sure, what's a few thousand more dollars on top of the 28-33% the fed is already going to take? If you're earning $125k, surely you don't need to actually use more than half of that, do you?
Posted by tk. on July 21, 2009 at 12:18 PM · Report
3
Yeah, lunacy . . . and we all know how well the state manages those tax revenues.

What's with all of the hate here today. Ok, I know we're in Portland and I understand the leanings of the authors here, but jeez . . . there's a lot of venom for anyone not on board today, regardless of the merits.
Posted by Nap34 on July 21, 2009 at 1:41 PM · Report
4
"So far it has raised almost $200,000 from homebuilders..." Screw homebuilders. They made millions when times were good and now they're crying because they can't afford their mansions on the Willamette. Cry me a f*cking river!
Posted by infoart on July 21, 2009 at 4:03 PM · Report
5
I always find it curious that the people who are most pro-taxes for "the wealthy" and businesses are people who do not have the ability to be wealthy or the cajones to run a profitable business.

...except of course for the politicians who line their pockets with union lobby $
Posted by spartacus on July 21, 2009 at 4:59 PM · Report
6
Yeah, "screw homebuilders"
The federal government has done a MUCH better job at that.
See you in the projects bitch@$!
Posted by D on July 21, 2009 at 10:46 PM · Report
7
The fact is, I pay similar taxes on 30K. Fuck em!
Posted by Mizzzzzzz on July 22, 2009 at 10:28 AM · Report
8
Mizzzzz,

You pay similar taxes on 30K? I suggest you go to H&R block next year because you are seriously doing something wrong in your filing. We have progressive tax brackets in this great country.
Posted by spartacus on July 22, 2009 at 11:05 AM · Report

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