Oregon is a Beacon of Hope

By Abel Collins

With all the commotion last month surrounding Massachusetts’s election of Scott Brown, it was easy to lose track of a story whose implications may be far more important. On January 26 in Oregon, an historic vote was cast in which the people supported two tax increases; one, an income tax increase on the wealthy, and a second on corporations. It was the first time the voters of Oregon enacted an income tax increase since the Depression. Yeah, that’s a long time, and it indicates that something monumental is happening in the country.

Ironically, the populism that Brown rode to victory in Mass. and that Republicans hope will return them to power was evident in Oregon’s vote to raise taxes, a distinctly un-Republican initiative. The people are acting to change a system that has come to disproportionately benefit corporations and the wealthy and that isn’t good for Democrats or Republicans. People are demanding change, and they are demanding fiscal responsibility so they don’t get stuck with a bigger bill down the road to see it happen.

What this vote shows is that the people understand the need to raise revenues to pay for social services, and they are willing to raise taxes to do it. For decades, the dirty word that politicians and policymakers have been scared to even mouth is taxes, considering it the equivalent of political suicide. Yet, the people understand the need for taxes, and they are willing to pay them, so long as the revenues raised are well used.

State governments around the nation should take note, because state revenues are in dire straits and making budget cuts cannot be the only answer. Indeed, large cuts are certain to diminish revenues further. It’s time for state politicians to stop avoiding the issue and honestly admit to the people what they already know, taxes are part of the solution. It would be wise also to recognize what Oregonians realized, new and increased taxes must be born proportionally by those who can afford to pay them.

I, for one, am sick of the evasions from politicians when they claim they would love to enact good policy but that would require them to raise taxes and would be politically infeasible. From this point forward, I am going to demand leadership and courage in facing these issues. No more excuses. Thank you, Oregon.

Here is the web address of an article that details the Oregon election:
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/voters_pass_tax_measures_by_bi.html