Legislative Principles

Taxes represent the continuing investment in society. That investment funds the development and maintenance
of an effective thriving civil society including education, infrastructure, economy, support services and defense.
Further, those who have benefited the most in the society have an obligation to invest in society.

1. Oregon’s tax system and the Federal Tax system should be more progressive.
2. Tax systems should be fair and equitable to all involved.
3. Oregon’s mix of taxes should provide adequate revenue to meet the State’s commitment to quality education and to other services.
4. Oregon’s tax system needs to be stable to allow for long term planning.

Action Items

1. Oregon’s tax system and the Federal Tax system should be more progressive.
   
   1. We support the re-adjustment of income tax brackets to lessen the impact on low and middleincome Oregonians.
   2. We oppose a general sales tax because of its regressive nature.
   3. We support a refundable earned income tax credit for low-income Oregonians.
   4. We oppose special tax breaks for corporations who compensate any executive at more than twenty-five times the minimum wage of its lowest paid employee.
   5. We support the taxation of all income equally, including capital gains, dividends, and stock options.
   6. We support a lower limit on the individual mortgage interest deduction (currently at $1,000,000 of debt).
2. Tax systems should be fair and equitable to all involved.
   
   1. Equalize the income tax rates paid by corporations to those paid by individuals.
   2. Conduct a review of the total Oregon tax and revenue system and recommend to the people of Oregon tax and revenue changes, which will bring adequacy, fairness and stability to the Oregon tax system.
   3. We support continuation of the estate tax on estates over 1.5 million dollars.
   4. We support closing federal tax loopholes that benefit US corporations which incorporate offshore to avoid taxes.
   5. We support repealing the requirement for double majorities in local option levies.
   6. We support requiring Oregon corporations to state actual federal and state taxes paid in their annual report.
3. Oregon’s mix of taxes should provide adequate revenue to meet the State’s commitment to quality education and to other services.
   
   1. The Oregon tax structure needs to be reformed so that it will provide adequate resources to meet legitimate state needs, fairness to all the people of Oregon and stability in good or bad economic times.
   2. Oregon tax policy should eliminate the need for general fund dependence on the lottery and should not encourage further expansion of the lottery.
   3. We support local system development charges to fund local infrastructure needs.
   4. We support real property taxes based on the fair market value of the property.
4. Oregon’s tax system needs to be stable to allow for long term planning.
   
   1. Oregon should have a rainy day fund supported by eliminating the “kicker”. We do not support the kicker clause in the Constitution, but do support a rainy day fund for excess revenues.
   2. Property taxes should be limited ONLY when a program to replace that revenue has been instituted. We oppose any effort to further limit or reduce property taxes without a revenue replacement program.
   3. We oppose any artificial or arbitrary state general fund spending limits that would damage funding for education, human services, and other programs.
   4. We oppose targeting tax audits to those claiming earned-income tax credits. We support audits of those reported as criminal evaders. We support adequate funding for infrastructure to enforce tax laws and identify tax evaders.
   5. We oppose super majority measures that restrict the ability of our legislators to adopt legislation relating to raising revenue for state programs.
   6. We support fiscal responsibility.