You are the most credible spokesperson your friends and family will hear throughout the campaign. Learn more about how Measures 66 and 67 protect funding for critical services.
Where Do I Vote?
Jan 26, 2010
You know that you want to protect Oregon's schools, health care and public safety services by voting Yes! on Measures 66 & 67. Here is some important information on making sure your vote gets counted.
The most important thing you need to know:
Ballots must be received by your county elections office or an official drop site location no later than 8 p.m., Tuesday, January 26, 2010.
Remember, in some counties, ballots have been printed double-sided, so make sure you read your ballot carefully, and vote on both Measure 66 and Measure 67 before you turn in your ballot.
Voter FAQs:
I didn’t get my ballot. What should I do?
If you haven’t received your ballot by January 15, 2010, call or visit
your county elections office. If you go to your county elections office, bring a current Oregon issued photo identification (such as your drivers’ license or state identification card) or your passport.
My ballot got destroyed or damaged. What should I do?
You can get a new ballot from your county elections office.Bring your ballot with you.
I made a mistake on my ballot. Can I correct it?
You’ll need to get a new ballot from your county elections office. Bring your old ballot with you (don’t mail it in).
How can I know if my ballot was received?
You can call your county elections office to confirm that your ballot
was received.
The recession has put Oregon's economy on the brink. Vital services
like education and health care are facing drastic cuts. Oregon can no
longer afford to let big corporations pay just $10 in the corporate minimum tax while prices for the rest of us continue to rise.
Find Out More About the Oregonian's "Alternative" to Measures 66 & 67
Jan 18, 2010
The Oregonian claims there is a better option than Measure 66 & 67, but
what is that option? Apparently the "better" plan is taxing small businesses and the middle
class.
The
following is a look at the tax increases proposed by a coalition of
associations that includes the Association of Oregon Industries and Associated
General Contractors, leading funders of the opposition to Measures 66 and
67, and by the Oregon Business Association.
As you can tell from this chart, business associations proposed
across-the-board tax increases that would raise taxes on the middle class and
on small businesses, while large corporations and the rich would have paid
less. These are the alternatives that were on the table in the last legislative session, and are likely the plans that the Oregonian is pushing for.
The Oregonians Against Job Killing Taxes campaign has run a purposefully misleading campaign.
To quote Steve Novick, posting last Sunday on Blue Oregon, "If either of these plans had been adopted, small bakery
owners really would have seen their taxes increase, soccer moms really would
have to pay more. There really would have been a tax increase on small
agriculture businessmen in Ontario and, of course, dairy farmers in Tillamook.
Now, the Oregonian
wants voters to reject the targeted tax increases in Measures 66 and
67, and seemingly wants the legislature to adopt across-the-board tax
increases on struggling
families and small businesses instead."
When it comes to Measures 66 & 67, all you need to remember are two numbers: $10 and $250,000. $10 is the amount most big corporations have been paying in Oregon's corporate minimum tax since 1931. As for $250,000, if your family makes less than $250,000, you won't pay a penny more.
The recession has hit Oregon hard. How we respond to it is a testament to who we are, as a people. Measures 66 & 67 are designed to protect those hit hardest by the economic crisis, particularly the many Oregonians who have been unemployed in 2009.
You may be surprised to learn that unemployment benefits are usually taxed like income. Measure 66 is designed to help. Measure 66 eliminates income taxes on the first $2,400 of
unemployment benefits received last year, providing a break for over 270,000 Oregonians who were unemployed in 2009. This is real relief for those who have been hit hardest by the economic crisis.
"Wondering
whether you'll pay more taxes under Measure 66 is a little like
pondering whether you can afford that new Porsche: If you have to ask,
the answer is usually "no..."
"Oregon
is home to 400,000 businesses, from the smallest of mom and pops to the
world’s biggest makers of microchips and athletic shoes. And under
next month’s Ballot Measure 67, most of those 400,000 businesses would
not pay a penny more in taxes, while a quarter would see their taxes
increase by $150..."
"Public
safety, health care, social services and education are what proponents
of Measures 66 and 67 say are at stake if the two tax proposals fail..."
We all want what's best for our children. Voting Yes on Measures 66 & 67 will help protect what's best for our kids by preserving funding for schools.
Here are the basics:
Measures 66 and 67 protect the equivalent of:
$285.5 million for K-12 education: enough to pay for 1,610 teachers and 1,057 hourly employees such as custodians, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers.
$24.4 million for Oregon's community colleges, preventing tuition and fee increases.
$39.9 million for the Oregon University System, keeping higher education and professional training accessible.
$5.1 million for student assistance.
$4.1 million for Oregon Health and Science University, training tomorrow's health care providers.
It’s time to protect critical services and middle class
taxpayers. This January, voters can protect education at every level by voting
YES on Measures 66 & 67. By voting YES to raise the corporate minimum and
the tax rates on households with income above $250,000, we can preserve
essential services like K-12 education, in-home care for seniors, and the
Oregon Health Plan through these tough economic times.
