FreedomWorks Oregon Asks Legislators to Resist Back Door Spending Increase

FreedomWorks Oregon and its more than 30,000 members statewide call on the legislature to reject all ‘reauthorizations’ in the special legislative session called by the governor. A ‘reauthorization’ is a political code word for a tax hike. Instead of raising taxes our lawmakers should be looking for ways to reduce the burden on taxpayers and free the economy from costly regulations.

Governor Ted Kulongoski has called the session to address the Department of Human Services (DHS) budget short fall. While blaming the federal government for not sending more money, the $136 million shortfall created was in reality created by mismanagement and poor decisions by bureaucrats and the Governors office. Unfortunately once again the Governor and members of the legislature are asking taxpayers to fill the hole created by bureaucrats that have mismanaged the dollars entrusted to them by taxpayers. It sends the wrong message when government officials pass on the buck to the taxpayers rather than be accountable for mismanagement.

Like DHS, Portland schools have also mismanaged taxpayer dollars, and the Governor wants to add $45 million dollars in property taxes by passing a bill extending the local property tax surcharge for Portland residents. This bill made at the request of the Portland Schools, will allow the Portland School District to raise an additional $15.8 million per year, for three years, in local property taxes without a vote of the Portland residents who will have to pay them. FreedomWorks believes voters should be given the opportunity to vote for higher taxes. We are certain that taxpayers as they have over the past several years answer tax and spend politicians with a resounding NO.

FreedomWorks Oregon Director Russ Walker commented, “FreedomWorks is asking legislators to oppose the additional spending for DHS. It is time to find out why the agency is blowing its budget, not reward mismanagement at the taxpayers expense. It is unfortunate that the governor and the legislature are going to add a $45 million property tax increase to the already over burdened Portland taxpayers. FreedomWorks is watching this special session closely to see what legislators are freely spending taxpayer money, and we plan to hold them accountable.”

FreedomWorks is a grassroots organization with over 800,000 members nationwide and more than 30,000 in Oregon dedicated to lower taxes, less government, and more freedom.