Tax Fairness 2010 – Rural Organizing Project

Tax Fairness will help build a Democratic Economy!

Oregon VOTED YES for Tax Fairness

*RESOURCES*

For too long, large corporations have gotten away with paying just $10 a year in Oregon income taxes, while average Oregon families and small businesses have had to pick up the tab of paying for schools and basic services. It’s time for a change.

This January, there will be a special election on Measures 66 & 67 to increase the $10 corporate minimum income tax for the first time since 1931, and increase the marginal tax rate on personal income above $250,000 per household. These measures protect nearly $1 billion for education, healthcare, and public safety.

What do Measures 66 & 67 mean for

rural and small town Oregon?

Measures 66 and 67 keep our rural schools, health clinics, and senior facilities funded at adequate levels. And they make sure that rural Oregon’s working and middle class families won’t have to carry a disproportionate burden of the costs of maintaining these services. In fact:

· Less than 2% of people in nearly all of Oregon’s rural counties will be affected by these measures!

· In 10 rural counties, fewer than 100 rich households will see their income tax levels raised!

Measures 66 and 67 ensure that large corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share. These measures are one small step towards creating stronger, more democratic communities and resilient rural economies.

January 26th, 2010 Ballot Measures Advance Democracy

Ballot Measure

What it does?

Workable Solution?

Advances Democracy?

Increases the corporate minimum income tax from $10 to $150 and increases the marginal tax rate on corporate profits above $250,000 by 1.3% (above $10 million in 2013).

YES

Will help avoid further cuts to vital services like schools, health care and public safety by ensuring corporations pay their fair share. Establishes reasonable corporate tax rates that are still the lowest on the west coast. Makes sure small businesses can survive these tough times.

YES

Restores a level of fairness to our outdated and imbalanced tax system. Corporations that benefit from a well-educated populace and safe, livable communities contribute a fair share towards maintaining the common good.

Increases the marginal tax rate by 1.8% on personal income above $250,000 for couples and above $125,000 for individuals.

YES

Like 67, this measure protects the common good by ensuring adequate funding for basic programs that benefit all, rather than shifting the burden of the economic crisis to those who have been hardest hit already.

YES

A healthy democracy guarantees a reasonable standard of living for all Oregon families. Measures 66 and 67 fairly distribute the costs of maintaining a reasonable standard of living according to people’s ability to pay.

Before you vote, consider this…

· Over 90% of the state budget goes to vital services like education, healthcare, public safety and human services – all of which are threatened by the economic crisis.

· 2/3rds of corporations doing business in Oregon pay just $10 a year in income taxes. That includes out-of-state corporations that do millions of dollars in business in Oregon, and paid their CEOs millions in compensation, but paid no state taxes in 2008. The $10 corporate minimum tax hasn’t been changed since 1931.

· More than 98.5% of taxpayers in most rural counties won’t be affected at all by the proposed change to Oregon’s personal tax.

VOTE YES for Tax Fairness this January!

Contact cara@rop.org to get involved

Voting basics

Voter registration deadline is January 5^th. Register online at: www.sos.state.or.us/ elections/votreg/sel500.pdf
Ballots will be mailed out starting on January 8^th.
Remember to turn your ballot in by Tuesday, January 26^th! Call the Oregon Secretary of State’s Oregon Votes hotline at: 1-866-ORE-VOTE / 673-8683 to find out where the nearest ballot drop box is!