Do Not Move to Oregon (school, universities, salaries)
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what you need to understand is that unlike yourself the state governemnt does not live within its budget. The average working person in oregon pays about $2800 in state tax, the person making 125k per year is paying 12k in state income tax. Don't you consider paying 5 times as much enough? they are not using any more services. Also you can be sure that "poor people" as you refer to them as will not get an extra penny.
in regards to your comment that business tax going from $10 to $150, that is incorrect, businesses already pay more and the minimum will go up by $1000's for small companies and much more for mid size companies.
You must have been watching the pro 66 67 commercials, weren't you? Unfortunately they were not accurate.
I have wondered since I moved here in 05, just where does tax money go to in Oregon. I have also noticed that only a certain percentage of the population really pays taxes in any amount. Reason being there is a huge and very noticeable income disparity in this state, and in Portland it really shows. Measure 66 & 67 leans on others to pay taxes. With the 5th highest income tax in the country, no sales tax, high property taxes and nonstop High Unemployment year after year, something is amiss. Actually the reasons are very obvious as to why this allowed, but Im sure one would be kicked off the forum if they wrote it. What I will say is that only small segments of people in Oregon are paying the bills for everyone. Alot of freeloaders getting alot for free here at anothers expense. You have to be comfortable with that or its the wrong state to live in. There are strong overtones in Oregon of it being very much a Welfare State.
It would seem that only a certain percentage, and it seems small in Portland are carrying the load when it comes to taxes So what does the tax money provide? Is is providing services and subsidies to the many that don't seek or don't want meaningful employment. I would think if someone could not find work year after year, they would hit the road and find a more practical locale to live in. The taxes don't seem to fund schools properly or to attracting meaningful employers. The funding isn't there to fund State and or local police and Fire Depts in a proper manner. The state doesn't seem to attract large numbers of residents and employees that are going to contribute a fair or beneficial share of the burden. Reason being the jobs have never been here. The burden always seems to be falling on only a few, that have made the point to work and make something of thier life. Purchase a home or basically just have thier act together. I think it is a very unfair method of taxation, and very much influences the personality and economics of Oregon.
There are just way to many in the population here that pay next to nothing in taxes for a multitude of reasons. One being the lack of a sales tax, a method of taxation that hits everyone not just certain people as the above mentioned forms of taxation do.
I see numerous people on this forum wanting to move to Oregon mainly Portland with degrees, yet wanting to work a minium wage job because they want to live the free life. Thats a red warning flag of the regional atmosphere right there. With that many in thier 20's and 30's wanting to live that way is scary, both for the future of the state and for families that have thier act together. More taxes to pay for them. Again those with practical jobs and incomes are paying the bills, and allowing themselves to be taken advantage of. There is just to much of an incentive to be broke and depend on others or agencies in this area to survive.
The taxes don't seem to be providing road maintenance and deicing on much of the roadways here in winter. That is a big part of a states budget, and I don't see the spending here when we do have icy roads or sidewalks. Portland and much of the state shuts down and behaves is a very weak and ridiculous manner that affects the economy. I know I lost 4 days of work and income last year with the snow even though I made it to work. They either shut down or were closed during that time. They don't take care of the roads. I mean this is pathetic. Where does this tax money go to in Oregon, and why don't people say I'm not paying for all these many welfare recipients? I mean only 3.8 million residents in a state this huge and 1 out of 6 Oregonians is on Food Stamps. People begging for money in so many places. Yet you see rail line after rail line being built and Doggie Boutiques cropping up. Plans and methods for energy conservation and bike lanes on every street in Portland. Yet there is all this poverty in Oregon. Who oversees this region and is accountable for the way tax money is spent in Oregon. Trimet?
Again certain people are footing the bill in this state in a very unfair manner, and how many types of 66 & 67 will Oregon have on its future ballots. Evidently more.
I have wondered since I moved here in 05, just where does tax money go to in Oregon. I have also noticed that only a certain percentage of the population really pays taxes in any amount. Reason being there is a huge and very noticeable income disparity in this state, and in Portland it really shows. Measure 66 & 67 leans on others to pay taxes. With the 5th highest income tax in the country, no sales tax, high property taxes and nonstop High Unemployment year after year, something is amiss. Actually the reasons are very obvious as to why this allowed, but Im sure one would be kicked off the forum if they wrote it. What I will say is that only small segments of people in Oregon are paying the bills for everyone. Alot of freeloaders getting alot for free here at anothers expense. You have to be comfortable with that or its the wrong state to live in. There are strong overtones in Oregon of it being very much a Welfare State.
It would seem that only a certain percentage, and it seems small in Portland are carrying the load when it comes to taxes So what does the tax money provide? Is is providing services and subsidies to the many that don't seek or don't want meaningful employment. I would think if someone could not find work year after year, they would hit the road and find a more practical locale to live in. The taxes don't seem to fund schools properly or to attracting meaningful employers. The funding isn't there to fund State and or local police and Fire Depts in a proper manner. The state doesn't seem to attract large numbers of residents and employees that are going to contribute a fair or beneficial share of the burden. Reason being the jobs have never been here. The burden always seems to be falling on only a few, that have made the point to work and make something of thier life. Purchase a home or basically just have thier act together. I think it is a very unfair method of taxation, and very much influences the personality and economics of Oregon.
There are just way to many in the population here that pay next to nothing in taxes for a multitude of reasons. One being the lack of a sales tax, a method of taxation that hits everyone not just certain people as the above mentioned forms of taxation do.
I see numerous people on this forum wanting to move to Oregon mainly Portland with degrees, yet wanting to work a minium wage job because they want to live the free life. Thats a red warning flag of the regional atmosphere right there. With that many in thier 20's and 30's wanting to live that way is scary, both for the future of the state and for families that have thier act together. More taxes to pay for them. Again those with practical jobs and incomes are paying the bills, and allowing themselves to be taken advantage of. There is just to much of an incentive to be broke and depend on others or agencies in this area to survive.
The taxes don't seem to be providing road maintenance and deicing on much of the roadways here in winter. That is a big part of a states budget, and I don't see the spending here when we do have icy roads or sidewalks. Portland and much of the state shuts down and behaves is a very weak and ridiculous manner that affects the economy. I know I lost 4 days of work and income last year with the snow even though I made it to work. They either shut down or were closed during that time. They don't take care of the roads. I mean this is pathetic. Where does this tax money go to in Oregon, and why don't people say I'm not paying for all these many welfare recipients? I mean only 3.8 million residents in a state this huge and 1 out of 6 Oregonians is on Food Stamps. People begging for money in so many places. Yet you see rail line after rail line being built and Doggie Boutiques cropping up. Plans and methods for energy conservation and bike lanes on every street in Portland. Yet there is all this poverty in Oregon. Who oversees this region and is accountable for the way tax money is spent in Oregon. Trimet?
Again certain people are footing the bill in this state in a very unfair manner, and how many types of 66 & 67 will Oregon have on its future ballots. Evidently more.
Nice rant! Oregon is indeed a weird state. I wish we did not have nearly so many layabouts and panhandlers here. Why don't they move somewhere and get a job! And yet so many are apparently many wealthy. Strange. Not sure 66&67 are the next big wave, but I agree that the tax structure seems to be hard on the middle class workers.
One massive chunk of the tax money is going to fund state employee pensions. There are state workers who retired in their 50's receiving pension payments equal to close to their full salaries when they were working. How many private sector employees have that option?
The state employee unions spent over $7 million dollars on the 66/67 advertising compared with $4 million for the business groups who crusaded against it. Why did they spend so much?? To protect these pensions and the current employment levels that are sucking money away from where it really is needed such as teachers, police and fire workers. State employment levels have RISEN 5% during the current recession and the unions cripple the state's ability to lay-off workers when they are no longer needed.
Wouldn't it be better to hire more teachers and perhaps reduce the number of building inspectors given there is virtually zero building going on right now?? The unions don't allow that type of flexibility.
Unfortunately the truth was not discussed during the campaigning, only fear tactics and misleading advertising from the unions who grow ever more powerful in their control of the state budget.
One massive chunk of the tax money is going to fund state employee pensions. There are state workers who retired in their 50's receiving pension payments equal to close to their full salaries when they were working. How many private sector employees have that option?
Legacy costs destroyed GM and are doing the same thing to states. I have no problem with retirement plans for our state workers, but it needs to be on par with the private sector. I can't tell you how many retirees I have met in the past year who wanted to buy their retirement property but can't know because they got hammered in the stock market.
Interestingly, both measures would have passed WITHOUT Multnomah County. They did far better in rural Oregon than one would have expected. I think this is partly because the economy is so bad that people realized the services are necessary, and that M66 exempted unemployment payments from tax.
Oregon is still a very low tax state. Some are quick to point out the high income tax rate - but buy a car, and you save $1000-3000 right there in the lack of sales tax.
There are two Oregons. One is a resource and mechanical assembly economy, where formal schooling is less important. This Oregon is the source of the anti-tax money. The other Oregon is the tech Oregon. People in the tech Oregon want good schools to attract the best employees, and the businesses rely on the educational system far more than in the older, resource-based Oregon.
These two groups have been at odds for many years.
Interestingly, both measures would have passed WITHOUT Multnomah County.
Based on what numbers? According to the data I've seen, only Measure 66 would have passed without Multnomah County and by a very slim margin. Measure 67 would have failed by over 10,000 votes without Multnomah County.
However your point is valid that it was closer than many would have thought in rural areas.
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