FreedomWorks Activists Organize to Stop $800 million Oregon Tax Hike Scheme

Salem, OR – FreedomWorks is unleashing its grassroots network in Oregon to stop the state legislature from raising state income taxes by $800 million. Raising taxes during a recession is terrible public policy and will not lead to long term economic growth. Only by reducing taxes and regulations, and making Oregon a more business-friendly state can we achieve the goal of steady economic growth for Oregon.

Before lawmakers pass new taxes onto citizens, they should cut wasteful spending, reduce taxes and regulations, and allow freedom to work. The $800 million tax hike proposal would disproportionately hurt small and family businesses. 

FreedomWorks activists are generating thousands of calls in opposition to the tax hike to targeted legislators, including: 

Senate President Peter Courtney  
Senate Pro Tempore Rick Metsger  
Senate Majority Leader Richard Devlin  
Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli  
Speaker of the House Dave Hunt  
House Speaker Pro Tempore Arnie Roblan  
House Majority Leader Mary Nolan  
House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna  

FreedomWorks Northwest Regional Director Russ Walker commented:

“The tax hike punishes the middle class with a 22 percent increase in taxes on small and family businesses. There are 31,000 filers that are impacted. Of the 31,000 filers 20,000-21,000 are small businesses, LLC, S corps or partnerships that report their income on K-1 reports. Another 6,000-8,000 filers use a schedule C and are sole proprietorships, which is typical for many family farms and small businesses.”

“It is sad that the current Democrat leadership in the House and Senate and the Governor are so shortsighted that they are prepared to increase job killing taxes on the engine of Oregon’s economy in a misguided effort to reward those that feed at the public trough. While most of us are trying to find ways to spend less, this tax increase will allow Oregon’s politicians to increase government spending by an astonishing 9 percent in the next biennium.”

“What they should do is cut wasteful and unnecessary spending, encourage economic growth by reducing barriers to market entry and providing tax relief to hard working families and small businesses, and reform state land use regulations that create huge obstacles to economic development.”