Oregonians speak: Yes on tax measures

With nearly half the vote counted, proposals finding statewide support

By Garth Guibord

The Sandy Post, Jan 26, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

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Oregon voters are passing two tax-increase measures, sending an enormous sigh of relief through the Oregon Trail School District, which anticipated further reductions in the event the measures failed.

Ballot Measure 66 was being approved by voters 54 percent to 46 percent shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday after early results were posted. The measure would increase income taxes for high-income people earning $125,000 as individuals and $250,000 as a couple.

Ballot Measure 67 also was being approved by voters 53 percent to 46 percent. The measure increases taxes for corporations and some businesses from the minimum of $10 a year.

The decisions could mean the Legislature might not have to make drastic cuts next week when it convenes in a scheduled special session.

“We are fortunate that citizens showed their support for the services provided by public school educators and other public service providers,” said Oregon Trail School District Superintendent Shelley Redinger. “The passage of measures 66 and 67 will bring a level of stability to our district, causing a sigh of relief.”

Redinger went on to say the district remains concerned about Oregon's economy and the continued influence on public education.

Meanwhile, Sandy resident E. Faye Caudle-Maggio, who participated in a poll on the two measures by Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, planned on not watching early poll results, fearing she wouldn’t be able to sleep if results weren’t going her way.

And when told the measures were passing in the early count, Caudle-Maggio – who voted no on both – was disappointed.

“The short-term benefits look really good to people,” said Caudle-Maggio, a Democrat. “In the long-term they’re going to pay for it. Hopefully, somehow it will turn around.”

Results in Clackamas County at 8:01 p.m. Tuesday revealed that the no vote had a slight edge, with 50.14 of voters turning down Measure 66 and 50.12 percent of voters rejecting Measure 67.

If the statewide results were to shift and both measures fail, the district expects its budget to be cut by a little more than $2 million, spread over the current biennium, although Julia Monteith, communications director for the Oregon Trail School District, noted the majority of that would hit next year’s budget.