Oregonians reject tax increase

AP ^ | 2/3/2004 | Brad Cain

[inkling]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregonians overwhelmingly rejected a proposed tax increase on Tuesday, setting the stage for yet another round of slashing in spending for schools, courts and other programs already reeling from earlier cuts.

From Our Advertiser Measure 30 was failing 58 percent to 42 percent.

"The margin of defeat is larger than expected," said Kevin Mannix, state GOP chairman and opponent of the $800 million tax package.

"It's not just a defeat. It's a swift kick in the pants to business-as-usual politicians who have ignored the need for reform," he said.

Gov. Ted Kulongoski has said he is "not inclined" to convene a special session of the Legislature to consider retooling spending cuts already designated for implementation should Measure 30 fail.

But he is under pressure from Republicans to do just that.

"I will insist a special session be required should it go down," Mannix said earlier Tuesday night.

[budman_2001]

http://www.noblankchecks.com/

Top 10 Reasons to Oppose

#2 - The real aim of the Blank Check Initiative is to make it easier for the legislature to increase our income tax, sales tax, property tax, car tax, and other state taxes, year after year. Prop. 56 pretends to discipline Sacramento politicians, but it actually rewards them with an open-ended blank check.

[NormsRevenge]

Take a bite out of "tax and spend" politics as usual Bump!

[dk88]

BTTT.
Come on Oregon Commies, you can figure it out ... you're sooo close!

[anymouse]

And this is with mail in "motor voter" ballots - a made to order recipe for Rat voter fraud. I think many conservative Oregonians are getting tired of paying for the utopian welfare state that Oregon has become.

[Andy from Beaverton]

60/40 As Cartman would say, 'Kick Ass!'

[Iconoclast2]

Ditto.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> ...setting the stage for yet another round of slashing in spending for schools, courts and other programs already reeling from earlier cuts.

This is supposed to be a news article?
It'd be nice if the line above had a fact in it, but it doesn't. There are NO CUTS. There have been NO CUTS. There will be NO CUTS. None. They get 800 million less of an increase than they wanted, that's all.

This measure failing means that state spending for the next biennium will increase by something like 1.4 %, and last time I checked my math, $101.40 was more that $100.00 by about a dollar and 40 cents.

Well the good part is that this has been smacked down, but still, sometimes I wish all the stupid people would just go away.

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> What is wrong with those 42% of people who went to the polls in Oregon today?

Nothing. Those would be the ones who get the money.

[Clock King]

What is wrong with those 42% of people who went to the polls in Oregon today?There are a sizable number of people who live by emotions moreso than thinking: "If we don't have this spending increase, what will happen to the children???!! We'll have to cut school lunch programs and children will go hungry!"

Unfortunately, these people respond to such illogic and even more unfortunately they are allowed to vote (and they shouldn't IMO).

[nightdriver]

".....setting the stage for yet another round of slashing in spending for schools, courts and other programs already reeling from earlier cuts."

This is pure, unadulterated extortion!

The first thing they (democRATs) do when they are short of revenue is cut the schools, but only the buildings and the teachers, not the administrative beaurocracy. Then they cut back on the police and start turning dangerous convicts loose on society again. Then they give themselves raises like that councilwoman that gave the new Multnomah County librarian a salary of 150% of the former one.

Oregon desperately needs to fire most of their state and local governments, throw them in jail, if necessary and start over.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Are they going conservative up there?

[Nam Vet]

I personally delivered our 3 family no votes at 4:00 this afternoon. Was grinning from ear to ear. What troubles me is that 40 plus percent of sheeple here are utter idiots!!!! Socialists at that! Seriously considering moving from this state in the next year.

As a side note that I think FReepers will appreciate. Total number of people who have filed our new COUNTY INCOME TAX amounts to ONLY 5 PERCENT !!! P*SS on the socialists!! Even the socialists here are NOT jumping thru hoops to pay yet another tax! Take THAT Vera-baby! Also heard that we in Portland pay higher taxes than New York City now!!! Was stated by Lars today.

Nam Vet

[clooney4824]

So right!! Multnomah County-encompassing the People's Republic of Portland-voted to increase taxes 1.25% on workers in the county.
All city,county and state workers voted for the increase BUT they do NOT have to pay the tax increase because they are GOV employees-exempted!!!! We-working citizens-have to pay the tax increase!! TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.OREGON IS A SICK,SICK SOCIALIST,COMMIE STATE.

[PFKEY]

slashing...reeling...cuts.

Sounds like someone is in pain.

[clooney4824]

Would be great if all tax paying,working citizens left Socialist Oregon and let the money-grabbing,leftist,socialists idiots try to fund their socialist programs.Let alone-feed themselves.
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand depicted this scenario 40 yrs ago.A great read for every conservative.

[Nam Vet]

Amen, Bro.

Nam Vet