Oregon Ballot Measure 28 (2003)
Encyclopedia
Measure 28 was a ballot measure, referred by the legislature
of the U.S. state
of Oregon
in 2003. It would have created a temporary one-percent increase in Oregon's income tax
. The tax was proposed as a way to overcome deficits to the state budget. The measure was defeated in the January 28, 2003 special election with 575,846 votes in favor, 676,312 votes against.
Budget problems, caused by recession
, high unemployment
, and problems with Oregon's public pension
system, dominated Oregon's 2002–2003 biennium. To make up for lost revenue, the legislature
approved a mixture of budget cuts and referred Measure 28 to a vote of the people
. The referral was marred by controversy as Democratic
Governor John Kitzhaber
objected to the Republican
-controlled legislature's omission of the cuts that would result from the measure's failure in the ballot title (the summary of the measure provided to voters). Supporters of the measure blamed the ballot title omission for the defeat of the measure.
Proponents of the measure felt it was the only way to avoid proposed spending cuts to programs such as education
and help for the elderly and mentally ill
. Opponents, many part of the Oregon tax revolt
, felt that increasing taxes would prolong the recession, and that the state should live within its means.
Cuts in the wake of Measure 28's defeat seemed to vindicate proponents' arguments. The day after Measure 28's defeat, Multnomah County
released 144 inmates from the county jail and laid off 175 Sheriff
's deputies.Some fiscal conservatives felt that wasteful spending was more to blame than the tax defeat.
Nonetheless, the high percentage of "yes" votes in the Portland
metro area inspired local governments in that region to bring their own temporary tax increases to the ballot.
A year later, voters defeated a similar measure, Measure 30
.
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in 2003. It would have created a temporary one-percent increase in Oregon's income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
. The tax was proposed as a way to overcome deficits to the state budget. The measure was defeated in the January 28, 2003 special election with 575,846 votes in favor, 676,312 votes against.
Budget problems, caused by recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
, high unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
, and problems with Oregon's public pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
system, dominated Oregon's 2002–2003 biennium. To make up for lost revenue, the legislature
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
approved a mixture of budget cuts and referred Measure 28 to a vote of the people
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
. The referral was marred by controversy as Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor John Kitzhaber
John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber is the 37th Governor of Oregon. He served as the 35th Governor of Oregon from 1995 to 2003 and became the first person to be elected to the office three times when he was re-elected to a non-consecutive third term in 2010...
objected to the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
-controlled legislature's omission of the cuts that would result from the measure's failure in the ballot title (the summary of the measure provided to voters). Supporters of the measure blamed the ballot title omission for the defeat of the measure.
Proponents of the measure felt it was the only way to avoid proposed spending cuts to programs such as education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and help for the elderly and mentally ill
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. Opponents, many part of the Oregon tax revolt
Oregon tax revolt
The Oregon tax revolt is a political movement in Oregon which advocates for lower taxes. This movement is part of a larger anti-tax movement in the western United States...
, felt that increasing taxes would prolong the recession, and that the state should live within its means.
Cuts in the wake of Measure 28's defeat seemed to vindicate proponents' arguments. The day after Measure 28's defeat, Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
released 144 inmates from the county jail and laid off 175 Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's deputies.Some fiscal conservatives felt that wasteful spending was more to blame than the tax defeat.
Nonetheless, the high percentage of "yes" votes in the Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
metro area inspired local governments in that region to bring their own temporary tax increases to the ballot.
A year later, voters defeated a similar measure, Measure 30
Oregon Ballot Measure 30 (2004)
Ballot Measure 30 of 2004 would have created a surcharge on Oregon's income tax, raised the minimum tax corporations pay in Oregon income taxes, and made other changes to the tax code to increase revenues. Similar to the previous year's defeated Measure 28, it was proposed as a way to avoid state...
.
External links
- Oregon Voter's Guide page for Measure 28--includes ballot title, text of the measure, and arguments for and against