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One of your guests talks about a more balanced tax system.  That would be great.  Businesses keep crying about the "tax" burden but 30 years ago businesses were paying 16 percent of the general fund and are now down to about 7 percent.  There has to be some reason Forbes magazine recently named Oregon the 3rd friendliest for business.

I am concerned that it sounds like the PDC is considering doing things that are starting to smell of "lobbying" for certain sectors.  As a publicly funded agency they need to be aware of their limitations. 

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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It is so not true that there were not cuts initiated by Governor Kitzhaber.  Just one example was a cut of $20 million in services to non mandated programs that supported the Children Adults and Families program. 

That is just one place where cuts were made.

What we really need to focus on is the spending that happens without the oversight of the spending committee,  the hundreds of tax credits and tax expenditures that have evolved since 1980.  Many of those may have some value.  However, we need to evaluate them on a par with services that are crucial to people's survival and education of our future citizens.

Tax expenditures need to be under the Ways and Means knife.

Check out the organization Tax Fairness Oregon where such debate occurs and is taken to the legislature.

posted 2 years, 6 months ago
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First we need to address the non collection of taxes owed because of our healthy tax credit system.  We give away almost as much money in tax credits as we collect for the general fund through the income tax.  These credits are not officially part of the budget.  We should ask the legislature if they come into special session to suspend all but the most needed for the common good. 

Next, regarding the comment about the health benefits not requiring co-pays the person needs to look at both the Providence Choice and the Providence Statewide Plan.

The Providence Choice is for those people residing in the Portland area.  Providence has its system in place and those on the Choice Plan are forced into the Providence system.

For the Providence Statewide there are substanial co-pays that will become problematic for those employees on the lower end of the pay scale. 

The only other choice is the Kaiser Plan which doesn't work outside of Portland without having to go to Portland for many services.

The PEEB board made the choice to have a medical manager but I don't think they realized that just because employees are in Salem and live in Salem they would have to pay more for the same services out of pocket than those in Portland because in fact Providence just added those Portland folk to their plan and their panel of doctors.

Don't take it out on the employees who are already on wage freeze. 

Really look at the number and variety of tax credits that have eaten up money not for the common good but to subsidize buying refrigerators, building wind farms and replacing diesel engines which would have had to be replaced anyway because of Federal clean air regulations.

Keep the good tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit which helps struggling families. 

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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There are two things that need to be considered.  First we do not collect a large amount of money because of tax credits which are called expenditures.  Those tax credits will continue because they are not addressed as part of the budget.  All tax credits need to be prioritized so they are as valuable as the services that we want our citizens to have.

Second to the health benefits not costing state employees.  Only if you are in Portland on the Providence Choice plan do you not have co pays that start to eat into the lower level employee's budget after taxes.  Because the state choose to have a "manager" they have forced Portland area into their plan and consider the other statewide folks into what would otherwise be considered almost out of plan. 

This is not management of health care benefits when different copays are charged to employees.  The largest percentage of employees work in Salem though many commute from the Portland area.

Check it out on the Providence Health Plan website.  There is Providence State Wide and there is Providence Choice.  The only other choice is Kaiser which in Salem requires trips to Portland for many services.

But first of all, bring up the tax credits.  Do people really need to have a refund for buying an energy saving refrigerator when they need a new one?  They are common on the market.  It is no longer a needed incentive.

And do diesel engines need to be subsidized when the Federal government is requiring higher standards in place I believe this year.

Tax expenditures over the years have grown so much that they match and I imagine this year will cost more than the general fund.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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Another option that has not been talked about is to immediately suspend some of the tax credits that do not have contractual arrangements.  The entire tax credit or tax expediture level has gradually added up, especially during Republican control so the listing is about the same size as the state general fund. 

Not collecting taxes because of a credit is harming us all.  Cuts will hurt everyone so shouldn't those getting credits against their income take a hit as well as those who are struggling on unemployment and can't find a job, state and county services to some of those same Oregonians who are having a hard time. 

At a minimum those credits that are being sold only to offset taxes should be looked at.  Some credits are sold to provide services to the community so just cutting accross the board is not a good idea.

I realize this doesn't directly relate to those who owe the state except for the fact they would owe the state money if they didn't have the credit.

posted 2 years, 12 months ago
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Abstinence only programs do not work.  From October 08 to September 09 Columbia County had 22 pregnancies of young women 10-17.  The rate may be lower than some Oregon Counties but full information is the only effective measure for education of our young women.  Check the state public health website for pregnancy rates.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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Barbara's comments about her local tax dollars being spent in Eastern Oregon is
incorrect. Barbara's local taxes are spent locally. The income tax, collected all over Oregon are the taxes that are dispersed for the common good of all Oregonians. As a second generation Oregonian living in the valley but with historical ties to both Eastern and Central Oregon I am proud of helping all for the common good.

posted 5 years ago
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