Hammered
Measure 30, the Oregon income tax surcharge, has gone down to defeat by a 3-to-2 margin. It lost big time even in Multnomah County, where the vote was 56% against and only 44% in favor.
It's ugly, but not at all unexpected. As I predicted quite a while back, the average voter in Multnomah County, who has been willing to vote for previous tax increases, has apparently had enough.
To all those who have been giving me grief about my no vote on this measure, let me add this comment: Just because Lars Larson says something, doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong.
| Posted at 11:36 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (10)
You may be right about Lars...but if you find yourself agreeing with him, it's probably time to really think about what you're saying. There's a very high probability that there's a flaw if Lars says it. Listener beware!
Posted by Jeff | February 4, 2004 12:42 AM
The results also show that the public -- even in Multnomah County -- no longer believes its public officials' comments on taxes, the budget, and expenses. The Oregon public believed what Govs. McCall and Straub said, even when they disagreed (witness the defeat of the McCall tax plan at the polls ca 1972). Not so today, especially with taxes. I trace the root back to Gov. Roberts' term, when a tax limitation measure failed 49-51. The day after the election, the governor said something to the effect that the results prove that Oregonians didn't think that their taxes were too high, conveniently ignoring the difference between a landslide and a squeaker.
The next time through, the tax limit passed.
Posted by Isaac Laquedem | February 4, 2004 8:00 AM
I certainly no longer believe public officials when they poormouth about taxes (if I ever did). It's amazing how every single tax measure that comes down the pike is the thin green line between civilization and finding the blasted ruins of the Statue of Liberty on a beach somewhere--and yet, when the measures are defeated, life goes on. It's also amazing how there's always enough money for one more boondoggle at public expense no matter how tight the budget is supposed to be.
Posted by Mark Jones | February 4, 2004 9:23 AM
Jack, you were right on Edwards, so maybe your "No" vote is based on your psychic abilities being able to see the legislature going back to Salem and actually re-working the cuts to make them less draconian. But I don't trust the idiots will be able to rework squat. The proposed tax increase was the result of painfully long bickering and everyone walked away unhappy. I just don't trust that they'll be able to "fix" these massive cuts.
I'm amazed that folks who don't trust politicians to be straight when talking taxes do expect them to return to Salem and effectively negotiate a new budget.
Posted by K | February 4, 2004 1:21 PM
No, I don't expect them to do anything smart. I'm just tired of paying through the nose while I watch them be stupid.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 4, 2004 1:53 PM
Are you particularly fond of KGW's website? I object to their intrusive registration demand and therefore don't read your links to there.
Posted by Kris Hasson-Jones | February 4, 2004 3:33 PM
Suit yourself, Kris. It's the best Portland news site I've found. So far I haven't noticed any ill effects from having registered. Heck, even The New York Times makes you register, but it's worth it.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 4, 2004 5:33 PM
I registered. I register to all those sites, using the same name and the same password and filling their database with bogus info. My name is TNYTCBMSMA (The New York Times Can Bite My Shiny Metal Ass, since TNYT was the first site where I did this). 100 year-old black woman CEO of a Florida telecom company? You betcha. 19 year-old janitor making $100,000+ scrubbing toilets? Yup.
If they want gibberish, I'll give it to 'em.
Posted by Mark Jones | February 4, 2004 5:46 PM
Indeed. Bite the bullet, Kris. Does anyone here really believe my first name is Sigma? Sigmund, maybe.
Posted by Sigma | February 5, 2004 6:59 AM
I'm agreeing with Jack Bog circa summer 2003, not disagreeing with Lars.
Posted by TimC | February 5, 2004 1:10 PM