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Oregon tax hikes don’t stop revenue bleeding

Despite the influx of $727 million after the unexpected passage of ballot measures 66 and 67 last year, Oregon faces a $577 million deficit in its current two-year budget.
Photo by Rachael Townsend, the Associated Press
Despite the passage of Measures 66 and 67, which raised taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals, Oregon faces a big deficit in its current two-year budget.

Long before the Tea Party became the national symbol for lower taxes, voters in Oregon were telling their government to keep its hands off their money.

The state is one of just five without a sales tax because residents have voted nine times over the years to keep it that way. Oregonians have enshrined a property-tax cap in their state constitution. And another voter-backed amendment — like no other in the country — forces the state to give rebates to taxpayers whenever revenues exceed expectations by 2 percent or more. Rebates have gone out to individuals or corporations in 11 of the last 15 budget cycles, even during downturns that simultaneously forced lawmakers to cut programs.

By John Gramlich, Stateline Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=504843

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