If you would like more information about what's happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me.
Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.
Posted on 02/21/2017 9:06:25 AM PST by thirst4truth
FEBRUARY 17, 2017
WEEK THREE
We are starting to have a few bills working their way through the system, but at this point nothing of any major impact. There are, however, the beginnings of discussions in some subject areas that will have significant implications. Having said that, the real issues taking front stage are the budget and the projected deficit. From that perspective I took a look at the bills that have been assigned to the House Revenue committee to see how many tax increase measures were there. I counted 38, but I have since been told there are now more. I was going to list them all, but have now thought better of that and will just try to give a flavor of what is included.
Several taxes bills on cigarettes
Several taxes on business, including a business sales tax
Increasing the lodging tax
Limiting deductions on income tax, including some provisions relative to federal taxes
Several modified sales tax proposals
Increase in fuel tax
Increase in state tax on lotter winnings
A sales tax on art
Increase tax on sale of a house
Increase tax on livestock operations
A tax on coffee
A new higher tax bracket
A tax on “old cars”
An increase in capital gains tax (we already have the highest in the nation)
A tax on renting construction equipment
Keep in mind this is not a complete list and I am sure it will continue to grow. I believe and hope most of these bills will go nowhere, but the fact is there are people in the House who have never seen a tax they didn’t like. There are also people who truly believe creating government jobs stimulates the economy. It points out the fact there may be a general lack of understanding of basic fee market economics. Honestly, there are people serving in the Legislature who believe “people would be better off with the government running their lives.” I would point to the mess we have in most inner cities in this country where that is actually happening as an example of why it doesn’t work. We should be empowering people to be the best they can be rather than continuing to make them dependent on the government.
Meanwhile the Ways and Means Committee will be heading to eastern Oregon for week two of their political road show. I call it political because it is designed to do one thing and that is to demonstrate the NEED for new taxes. What is being ignored is the fact that state government has grown by 40% over the last eight years and there is no way we can continue this trend. However, it appears that is exactly what they are trying to do.
What is also frustrating is the fact that, because the Democrats have total control of the process, Republicans are not being included in the discussions. In two more weeks the Ways and Means Committee will be done with their road show, and we may actually start to seeing part of their plan. I have been serving in the minority in the Senate for 12 years and I have never before seen so much of the “activity” being done in secret. What is likely to happen is they will bring out their plan, we will object to it, and they will call us obstructionists. Once again pure political maneuvering. The smart move would have been to include Republicans in the discussion to at least see where we could find common ground. But I guess that wouldn’t serve their political agenda.
I will end with a quote from Margaret Thatcher. “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.”
Sincerely,
Senator Jeff Kruse
email: Sen.JeffKruse@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1701 address: 900 Court St NE, S-205, Salem, OR, 97301 website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kruse
Oregon Ping
I thought the tax on OLD CARS was gone?
PLEASE sign, and share far and wide. At least half of the Oregon voters do NOT agree with Kate Brown and what she is doing to Oregon, in all things. I don’t know how legitimate this petition is, but it is worth a try. Let our voices be heard! https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/recall-governor-kate-brown
If you would like more information about what's happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me.
Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.
Sure, sign me up!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.