Oregon Voters Approve New Taxes On Businesses & "Rich"
Posted by Jim Hoft on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 5:39 AM
Oregon votes for socialism. New legislation will punish producers.
Oregon voters approved new taxes on businesses and those making above $250,000 a year (or $125,000 if you are single).
The LA Times reported:
Facing a budget crunch that threatened to close schools early, lay off teachers and slash healthcare benefits, Oregon voters ended two decades of tax scrimping Tuesday by approving higher taxes on corporations and wealthy families.
The two ballot measures passed handily in a referendum watched closely around the country as a signal of whether voters are ready to approve targeted tax hikes to bail out cash-starved state treasuries.
Oregon voters since 1990 have limited property taxes, rejected sales taxes and vetoed across-the-board income taxes. But with 87% of the ballots counted, the measure to raise income taxes on households earning more than $250,000 a year, and individuals earning more than $125,000, was winning with 54.1%. A second measure to raise the state’s corporate income tax was ahead with 53.6%.
Business leaders had fought the measures, arguing that they would drive away entrepreneurs and force struggling businesses to slash jobs.
The two measures would raise more than $700 million to help close a gap in the state budget that at one point reached $4 billion.
We’ll see how this plays out in a few years… or less.
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Published February 8, 2012 at 8:42 pm - 106 Comments
Militant Conservative commented:
Say goodbye to your Rich and the Employers.
How bout Gubment doing with less????
The Obama effect continues on. Doing the same stupid things and expecting a different result.
Try capitolism, it works.
aprilnovember811 commented:
If I owned a business, or was above a certain income level in Oregon, I would pull my business, or myself out of the state. It happened in MD, where they imposed a so called millionaire tax. Out of 3000 millionaires, they are left with 1000, 2000 left. If MD didn’t have the government, they would end up like Michigan. This will eventually happen in Oregon, the productive people will leave, and no one will be left to pay for their programs. Many stupid people in Oregon, aren’t there?
Nahanni commented:
Oregon has been completely Californicated.
It is a fine example of what happens when you let too many bleu state leftard liberals into your state. They are like disease carrying vermin that will eventually destroy their host.
avery commented:
They made a bad Mistake.Andy stean group was pushing for this tax.
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Finncrisp commented:
Looks like it is time for the moving vans to start steaming out of yet another west coast location. Won’t be the first time. Remember when the logging industry was decimated for the not so endangered spotted owl? More unemployment headed their way….
olm commented:
THANK YOU for covering it. It needs more. These taxes are retroactive and cover 2009. Theey also are to cover raises to the government employees that they voter for last summer.
People buy the class warfare crap and it is depressing. As someone on another blog said the employees do not understand that it is their jobs they just voted to be cut. The businesses either leave the state or raise their prices. The “rich” may as well live in Hawaii, the taxes are the same and the weather is better.
aprilnovember811 commented:
All of you businesses and productive citizens in Oregon, leave the state. Don’t stay and pay for deadbeats. All of the middle class left Cuba, and now look what they’re left with.
olm commented:
Andy Stern IS the big winner.
Oregonians may wake up when they are annexed or sold to Mexico.
T2 commented:
As one of the “rich” affected, I can say we will be making exit plans as soon as possible. The short sightedness of this beautiful state is amazing.
OCBill commented:
The two measures would raise more than $700 million to help close a gap in the state budget that at one point reached $4 billion.
Yes, as long as businesses and individuals make absolutely no adjustments to compensate for the taxes. It will be interesting to see how much money is actually raised.
FishFearMe commented:
Did the writer at the LA Times really say “Oregon voters ended two decades of tax scrimping”? Tax scrimping? WTF? How ’bout a little more gubment scrimping? Dipsticks.
Texmom commented:
What has happened in the last decade to Oregon is tragic.
Come on down to Texas. We’re still into sovereignty and capitalism down here (except in Austin, of course).
olm commented:
There is going to be a mass exodus. It will finally start to hit these idiots when home prices nose dive. At the moment they really think they are immune.
It is a beutiful state but so is MI and CA.
Pat the First commented:
All they need to do is move to WA State. We don’t have income tax. Nike is one of their big companies and their founder was one of the main opposers to these measures. It wouldn’t be hard to move those maybe 100 miles to Vancouver, WA.
Oregon has been killing itself for decades. My cousin was a principle in an elementary school in the Portland area in the early 1990s. It was so bad for schools that he left the state. They haven’t had enough state patrolmen so that there are areas on their state highways that you can drive as fast as you want and no one will stop you.
Here’s a shout out to OR businessmen and corporations . . . come on over.
Smarty commented:
Cool, this will help restore housing value in Idaho.
Liberals are morons.
Ceroth commented:
I live here in Oregone and I voted No on 66 and 67. I’m hoping to move either next year or the year after. The leftards have totally ruined one of the most beautiful states in the Union and I can’t wait to get away from here.
NoMarxismInAmerica commented:
They’ll all be working on collective farms in 20 years, no doubt.
The only problem is that the wealthy white Leftist who enabled this mess will move, like a viral infection, to other states. Pray they don’t.
Ladue Pundit commented:
Militant Conservative
January 27th, 2010 | 9:01 am | #1
Say goodbye to your Rich and the Employers.
———————–
More like, say goodbye to your middle class, and say hello to more government freeloaders, illegals, and criminals.
Rhonda commented:
“the problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other peoples money”–Margaret Thatcher
Pat the First commented:
If I worked for business development for either ID or WA, I would have Nike on the phone immediately and start offering them all kinds of breaks. WA does it all the time. Microsoft gets all kinds of breaks.
Pat the First commented:
For years because of the message of RE taxes in Portland, people have lived in Vancouver, WA, and worked in Portland. Now, maybe they will just start looking for work in Vancouver and the surrounding area. WA has been hit by this recession, but not nearly as bad as other areas of the country. Especially the eastern part of the state.
If Nike wants to work in an area that is one of the best areas to live and work right now, he should look at the Tri-Cities area.
Jerry C commented:
Why is government the only one who continues to ADD expenses while it’s tax-revenue paying citizens DECREASE theirs? Limited government works but Big government destroys. United States of America, welcome to the Land of the Lost.
pjean commented:
Does anyone see the “Oregonian Exodus” coming? Hey Oregon! Remember all that tax revenue you were counting on? Guess what? It’s gone and you won’t have to worry your pretty little head about it anymore.
bman commented:
Come to Kansas, we still have a sane populace.
Ladue Pundit commented:
Pat the First–
My cousin was a principal in Los Angeles during the ’90s and moved to Oregon to escape the property taxes and cultural decline.
Hah! I’m going to have to call him. BTW, he voted for Obama.
Brian commented:
the state of Missouri should eliminate Corporate Taxes completely and the influx of business would be superb.
Something to think about.
J commented:
What commonsense states are the people escaping to? And when will the lunatic occupants of the insane asylum states start taxing the thriving states to support the failed states? I know obama is attempting this feat, as we speak.
Pat the First commented:
Ladue, I have a lot of family moving out of CA to WA right now. Been doing it for years.
OR, particularly the Portland area, has been on the downward slide for too long of a time. Reed College seems to have taken over all of the state of OR. OR has turned into the home of anarchists.
I feel sorry for people who are going to be stuck in OR and can’t leave. It isn’t going to get any better down there.
Militant Conservative commented:
Ladue Pundit
We can speculate on the victims of this idiocy but we agree, this is bad medicine for Oregon.
marie commented:
Move east, young man, move east!
Betsy Ross commented:
So, Oregon may the first state to
Go John Galt….
Pinkie French commented:
This union vote in Oregon was just another nail in the coffin of the greatest state in the union. It has been well known for years the power that be want to make Oregon one big state park. Oregon is becoming a great place to visit, but living here is becoming harder and harder.
navtechie commented:
Go to The Oregonian article about this same “victory” and read the comments from the commies and socialists.
–”Don’t let the door hit you on the way out”
–”pay your share”
–”it’s only 1-2% difference!”
I cannot wait for the freeloaders and hippies to get their comeuppance in a couple of years when the unemployment is 15% and the gubmint is even further in debt.
Sue commented:
It is the stupidity of liberal states that has caused the influx of liberals into conservative states. Think about that for a moment. Oh well, Texas is always welcoming, come on down.
olm commented:
The problem here in Oregon is about to become what they think will never happen. Housing prices have stayed steady and so they think they are immune to the housing bust. The prices with this tax increase are about to take a nosedive. You can’t leave if you can’t sell the house you have several mortgages on…………..but hey, we just tax the rich.
Morons.
Spider-Man commented:
Sue, Texas is sounding better and better. But do you rehabilitate the libs that will head there? They don’t seem to realize that their quest for building a worker’s paradise where ever they are, actually turns the place into a wasteland, which they then leave.
hazdog commented:
It’s not not my fault…We voted no! There are always great examples out there of what “Not to do”! This is one of them.
Sorry country….Oregon let you down yesterday.
Comeback in November 2010!
Corporal Vere commented:
How can states like OR, NY, NJ, etc. be bankrupt?
I mean. They have the highest taxes, the highest union memberships, THE MOST CARING PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, the higest welfare benefits, the best medicaid benefits, the best EPA regulations, the most expensive public schools and universities, . . .
How could this be?
Must.raise.taxes.on.EVIL.rich!
I blame Bush.
BarbaraS commented:
Well, why not? It is tremendously easy to vote for someone else to pay the piper hoping they never come for you. The majority of these people probably will never earn $125,000 a year and feel it is greedy of the ones who do to make no contribution. I wonder if Oregon )(and California too) ever thought about cutting some of the gimme programs instead of raising taxes on some but not all unconstitutionally. I guess that clause in the Constitution about all men are equal under the law is just so many inane words.
MR.ED commented:
They did this here in the peoples socialist welfare state of maryland the rich people left and took their cash and jobs with them the state
Derak commented:
I’d be pretty circumspect about running to Washington State….. With the budget deficit we are running and a solidly blue political base, I would be surprised if we don’t see an income tax passed soon in addition to the nearly 9% sales tax and business and occupation tax on gross receipts. You may find yourself having to move again soon.
There are better destinations than WA. On the other hand, if you are conservative Oregonians, flee to WA in droves! We need you!
A Conservative Teacher commented:
If you are an Oregon voter, than you have a right to be upset. But the rest of us, this is exactly what states are designed for- a labatory to test out policies. Let Oregon chase away their employers and punish its hardest working citizens. Let Oregon rejoice in equal poverty and unhappiness for all. Then it can be yet another example of the failures of communism and state planning and ‘soak the rich’ policies. Just as long as it is their state that is voting those stupid policies in place, and just as long as their state doesn’t come begging for help from the federal government. I feel bad for the people of Oregon- we’ve tried those same policies here in Michigan and they have failed- but they voted for those mistakes, now they have to live with them, and be an example to us all.
bill-tb commented:
They could have just asked New York and California how it’s working out for them.
The commie free stuff is strong … Free pies for all — but what do we do when the baker gets tired of baking free pies? Take him off to the gulags and get another baker. before long the gulags are full of former bakers.
Progressives will never learn.
Pat the First commented:
Derak, the Tri-Cities area is one of the least affected area by the recession in the US despite what is happening in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. It is actually growing. I started a business there about 4 years ago so with all of the bad news about year ago, I was a bit concerned. Actually, we are pretty stable.
There are companies moving from the east coast to the Tri-Cities . . . manily because of the huge technology and scientific community here. Richland is the highest educated community in the US.
Moving to E WA is not a bad idea for any company.
Pat the First commented:
With the budget deficit we are running and a solidly blue political base, I would be surprised if we don’t see an income tax passed soon in addition to the nearly 9% sales tax and business and occupation tax on gross receipts.
There will never be an income tax in WA. It has to be passed by the voters of the state by 60%+. Not going to happen. 9% tax is only in the Seattle area. We don’t have it here in the Tri-Cities area.
averagemelon commented:
Corporal Vere;
I live in New York and the “new” taxes never end. They are now taxing bottled WATER even though we recycle. I can’t afford health insurance so my health bills are taxed 15% HIGHER than everyone who DOES have health insurance. They tax our cell phones and land lines, our GARBAGE and our SEWER. This state gets so much in taxes and they still spend it faster than it comes in. If it wern’t for the fact that my house cost me only $41,000 in 2005, we would have moved out long ago. We might anyway because my employer can no longer afford to do business in this state.
Oregon, you are STUPID.
Listen up commented:
If you live in Oregon…MOVE!
Kevin commented:
Well, there goes me moving back home anytime soon
Go read the remarks to the story at the Albany Democrat Herald- a decidedly more conservative city and my home town. They ain’t happy. It’s a shame the three hippie hamlets of Portland, Eugene and Corvallis (Surprise! all college towns) hold so much sway over the rest of the state. You eliminate the votes in the I-5 corridor, and Oregon votes Republican. That’s because east of the Cascades people actually work for a living.
OCBill commented:
There’s a tollway in Orange County. They had to raise the tolls again because of decreased use since the last toll increase. You can’t make this stuff up.
Jack commented:
I voted NO on both but it really doesn’t matter how we voted. They would just take it to court and have it overturned. I can remember when people in this state used to have “Don’t Californicate Oregon” stickers on their bumpers. The majority of people seem to be OK with it. Used to be a great state but no more.
czekmark commented:
I guess it’s true that Oregan has become California North.
Peggy commented:
This is something like how this will play out.
First they came for the businesses and those who make over 250K and the people of OR agreed to this quick and temporary fix. Then the “rich” people left the state. Then that 700 million had to come out of someone else’s pocket so they came for those who made over 100K. Then those people left the state and so on and so on…
High state taxes drive away tax revenue. High national taxes provide disincentives to earn, to innovate and to pay taxes at all. OR will regret it but I hardly see them as some kind of test for the rest of the country. This sure wont happen in TX for instance.
Left Coast Conservative commented:
Well – it does’t look good. Our company has its factory in Oregon but sells products all over the country – I’m thinking of adding a line item on my quotes. Something like: “State of Oregon gross sales tax”. We were the hold-out state on sales taxes – leave it to the libs to back door the issue.
Could we move? I don’t know – we’ve got a lot of money tied up in property, machinery, inventory, people – it wouldn’t be easy and in this economy, it could be deadly.
I called people regarding this issue – and knew that we were going to lose. They were convinced by the ads and didn’t even want to hear any other information. It all boiled down to a resentment of the people who “have” and the general unfairness of it all.
To those who voted yes – I hope I NEVER hear you complain about the wages our public employees make, the taxes you pay or the cost of living in this state. I hope I NEVER hear you complain about PERS, the growth of government or their inefficiency and waste. You voted for this.
Left Coast Conservative commented:
By the way – our family has been here for over 150 years. What’s changed – no more base of living wage jobs. The mines are gone. The logging is all but gone. Ag is still here but who knows how long that will last with a gross receipts tax like this? We’ve got soft businesses like building (still reasonable given the urban growth boundary), computer tech, clothing and shoes.
Look at the state – the counties with living wage jobs – Lane, Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Linn/Benton.
When will the class action suit start for the ORegon Dept. of Education? You can’t have a population this poorly educated without following the trail to the source of the failure – OR DOE.
Signed – one t’d off Oregonian.
crosspatch commented:
Oregon might see an increase in tax revenue from this in 2010 but the decline after that will be sharp and deep.
Derak commented:
“Derak, the Tri-Cities area is one of the least affected area by the recession in the US despite what is happening in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. It is actually growing”
One word. Hanford. Massive cleanup of nuclear waste left over from failed nuclear plants and bomb making facilities. Massive federal dollars flow into this community.
That is the only reason the Tri Cities is bucking the recession. Federal dollars disappear, Tri Cities goes with it.
dumb as a box of hair commented:
Headline 6 months from now:
Oregon voters angry at explosive unemployment and debt. due to businesses leaving Oregon, relocating to another state that has lower taxes. They have lost, not just the expected revenue that came with the increase but the previos revenue they would have gotten had they not driven business out of the state.
People of Oregon deserve to lose everything, being to stupid to vote for their own self preservation
olm commented:
Count me as one t’d off Oregonian as well.
There is not much here worth the incredibly high cost of government services and the bleeding heart liberal policies have decrease the standard of living for all.
It’s a great state if you are a salmon or a goverrnment employee. That’s about it.
jaycee commented:
Of course voters approve of raising SOMEONE ELSE’S taxes. Why would they care when it doesn’t affect them. If we are going to raise taxes, then lets raises EVERYONE’S taxes. Then we will see how many really approve.
Mkelley commented:
Come on over here to Montana. We don’t have a sales tax either. Of course it is a little chilly here.
Georgia commented:
Dear Oregon,
Thanks for sending the jobs here.
Jeff commented:
Washington State welcomes your embattled businesses, Oregon! Lead them all to US!
libfail commented:
My father has a business up there and now can’t hire help with these taxes. Phil Knight was so against this, if he gets upset enough Nike leaves Oregon and that would be a blow.
Oregon really is going to get what it deserves because of passing these measures.
Wallace commented:
I wonder if that was supported by Californians who ran away from California to Oregon. When Californians moved to the Seattle area, Seattle becames very liberal. What’s ironic is that they move from California to escape the results of liberal policies only to bring liberalism with them. Onwards to ruin more states!
Pat the First commented:
One word. Hanford.
Hanford helps, but the truth is there a lot more than Hanford here. And there is more to Hanford than clean up. There is a lot that goes out there that has nothing to do with clean up.
A company in Kennewick last fall got a huge kick because they are now the only company in the US who builds the appropriate isotopes for cancer treatment.
Our Ag business hasn’t been hit. People still need to eat.
250,000 live in the Tri-Cities. It is growing, not shrinking. It was also in the top 5 areas for relocation according to Forbes last year.
And after living in Seattle for 20 years there is a lot I don’t miss from that area. Especially the traffic.