Oregon tax revolt facts for kids
The Oregon tax revolt is a political movement in Oregon that wants lower taxes. This movement is part of a bigger anti-tax trend in the western United States. It started when Proposition 13 passed in California in 1978. The tax revolt in Oregon has used many citizens' initiatives and referendums (where people vote on laws) to change how people talk about taxes and public services in the state.
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Leaders of the Tax Movement
Important people in the tax revolt include Don McIntire, who leads the Taxpayer Association of Oregon. Another key leader is Bill Sizemore, who heads Oregon Taxpayers United. Some of the money used to support these anti-tax ideas came from groups outside of Oregon.
Measure 5: Limiting Property Taxes
In 1990, Oregon voters added limits to property taxes in the Oregon Constitution by passing Measure 5. Many voters were upset because their property taxes were going up quickly. This was due to rising property values, especially in the Portland area.
Measure 5 changed how schools were paid for. Before, counties paid for schools mainly through property taxes. After Measure 5, the state took on more of the cost. The state gets its money from an income tax. This measure also made school funding more equal across Oregon. Schools in rural areas often got more money, while some schools in Portland saw their budgets reduced.
Measure 47: Capping Tax Increases
Measure 47 was another important vote. It tried to limit how much property taxes could increase each year. This was partly to help with the fast-growing house prices in Portland. Measure 47 also created Oregon's "double majority" rule. This rule meant that local tax increases could only pass in smaller elections if more than half of all registered voters participated.
In November 1996, Oregon voters approved Measure 47. However, there were some legal issues with how Measure 47 was written. So, the Oregon Legislature asked voters to approve Measure 50 in 1997. Measure 50 helped clarify and fix Measure 47. Voters approved Measure 50 in a special election in May 1997.
Later Tax Discussions and Laws
The tax revolt led to many arguments in the Oregon Legislature about how to spend money. These arguments were about funding schools, the Oregon Health Plan, and other important services in the late 1990s. Then Governor John Kitzhaber and the Republican leaders in the legislature often disagreed on budget plans.
In 2000, Don McIntire helped put Measure 8 on the ballot. This measure would have limited state spending. However, Measure 8 was defeated by voters. In the same election, Oregonians voted to make the "kicker check" a part of the state constitution. The kicker check is a refund given to taxpayers if the state collects much more money than expected. This was approved with Measure 86.
Anti-tax groups also helped defeat two proposals in 2003 and 2004. These proposals (Measure 28 and Measure 30) would have temporarily increased income taxes.
Bill Sizemore's group faced legal challenges in 2002. Sizemore had proposed several ideas to reduce benefits for public employees and limit their political power. Public employee unions responded by tracking people hired by Sizemore to collect signatures for his ballot measures. After finding problems with signature gathering, a teachers' union successfully sued Sizemore's group in 2003. This legal ruling made it much harder for Sizemore to put new measures on the ballot. The problems with signature gathering also led to Measure 26 in 2002. This measure made it illegal to pay signature gatherers based on how many signatures they collected. Voters approved Measure 26.
People who support lower taxes often say that Oregon's government wastes money and is not efficient. They believe the government could do more with less money. People who oppose the tax revolt argue that cutting taxes through ballot measures can lead to problems. They say voters might choose lower taxes without thinking about how it affects public services and the state's budget.
Timeline of Key Ballot Measures
- Measure 5 (1990)
- Measure 47 (1996) (started by citizens), Measure 50 (1997) (legislature asked voters)
- Measure 8 (2000) (failed)
- Measure 86 (2000) (kicker check)
- Measure 28 (2003) and Measure 30 (2004) (tax increase measures, defeated)
- Measure 41 (2006) and Measure 48 (2006) (both failed)
- Measure 59 (2008) (failed)
- Measures 66 and 67 (2010) (tax increase referenda, passed)
