Progressive tax
package needed
The Oregon Legislature — both House and Senate —
needs to get back to the drawing board and come up with
a more comprehensive and progressive tax plan to get us
through the next biennium.
Friday, the Senate released their $437 million budget
balancing tax package calling for a continued 8-percent
income tax surcharge, 10-cent cigarette tax and state
separation from the federal tax code on depreciation
allowances for businesses. The plan also calls for chang
ing Oregon’s $1,000 personal tax exemption to an $85 tax
credit (automatic deduction) and recalculating part-time
resident’s income taxes as well.
The plan is similar to the House’s original draft ex
cluding the $85 tax credit plan. However, neither plan
raises enough revenue to relieve property tax. In fact, pro
perty tax relief has dwindled during the session from $800
to less than $200 maximum in order to balance the
budget.
Neither plan deals with the restructuring of the
Oregon tax system.
The House Revenue committee has spit out a
watered-down tax relief package during the last few
weeks, taking the original 4 percent sales tax bill of Reps.
Peter Courtney, D-Salem and Tony Van Vliet, R-Corvallis
and switching the aim from homeowner property tax relief
— two-thirds of taxes go toward school funding — to
relief for all classes of property coupled with a state and
local government spending lid.
This is not exactly a progressive approach to proper
ty tax relief or a sales tax. And a progressive approach is
called for in this state that needs continued if not increas
ed support for education, economic development and
social service programs.
The House Democrats and Republicans have propos
ed a homestead exemption — that is, reducing the
assessed value of a house for tax purposes. The
Republicans suggest a $10,000 reduction on assessed
value paid with existing tax relief money. The Democrats
suggested a $20,000 reduction paid from both existing
relief and an income tax increase.
Which brings the dilemma down to the bottom line.
The coffers are dry and if ptoperty tax is a must (and it
seems to be, if only for political reasons) then relief must
come from sales tax revenue or income tax revenue.
Ask any Democrat senator A sales tax package will
not get through the Senate floor and with a nine-defeat
history, a sales tax in Oregon is not promising.
Income tax revenue looks like the source for property
tax relief, but again a 17-percent increase across the
board, one suggestion, will not do in a state with one of
the highest income tax burdens in the nation.
A Hendriksen/Hosticka-type tax plan, which raises
revenue by readjusting tax brackets in favor of lower and
middle incomes, would be one way to raise money for pro
perty tax relief while maintaining a progressive tax
structure.
Gov. Vic Atiyeh suggests relieving homeowners by
raising the HAARP fund qualifications from those earning
$17,500 to those earning $30,000 and freezing property tax
rates at current levels.
Many taxation ideas could easily be combined. For
instance, a sales tax on luxury items, coupled with a pro
posal like the Hendriksen/Hosticka plan, would both raise
revenue and allow for homeowner property tax relief.
The Senate and the House have the time — the
Governor gladly will lengthen the session — and the
brains to come up with something better than the
piecemeal packages drawn up so far. They will have to
use both to come up with a satisfactory tax plan.
letters
Art museum
I would like to thank the
Emerald for featuring the
Museum of Art in two front
page articles in the May 18 edi
tion. However, I want to be
sure your readers are aware of
three points, two of them omit
ted from the articles entirely
and other reported incorrectly.
First — neither article men
tioned the museum’s open
hours. The museum is open to
the public Wednesdays
through Sundays from noon to
5 p.m.
Second — the article, "Hid
den courtyard boasts...,"
states that the museum is
"free of campus administra
tion." This is incorrect. The
Museum of Art falls directly
under the adminstrative
jurisdiction of the Vice Presi
dent for University Relations,
who, in turn, reports to the
President of this University.
Third — neither article men
tioned the summer closure of
the museum. White it is true
that the museum Is a state
owned museum and does
belong to the people of
Oregon and nof to the Univer
sity, as the article incorrectly
reported, it was the campus
administration's decision to
close down the museum for
two months each year as part
of University budget cutting.
This year, the museum will be
closed during July and August
with all staff laid off for the se
cond consecutive year.
Again, thanks for the free,
front page publicity. Do come
visit your museum — while
you still can.
Becky Slade
Museum of Art
Outbursts
To Mary Hope — from Jeff
Nudelman’s (imaginary) rich
daddy:
My son has informed me
that you had a tad bit of dif
ficulty swallowing one of his
many outbursts he made in
the Emerald. Although that Kid
can be a real tiger sometimes,
this time honey, I’m going to
have to back him up.
When Jeff ran for the In
cidental Fee Committee, he
did not even know that the
members received a stipend
for their services. However, I
didn’t raise a fool. Come pay
day, I’m sure my son was first
in line to pick up some green.
Jeff has told me that he ran
for the office because he felt
that he could contribute to the
University. The stipend just
proved to be a little icing on
the cake.
Stipends are not salaries. In
cidental fees (student
dollars) should not be used to
subsidize any student’s com
plete living expenses.
Hopefully, students choose to
get involved in the ASUO and
its various programs for the
rewarding experience received
from working with wonderful
people like you, Mary.
Anyone who chooses to get
involved in student govern
ment need only walk into Suite
4 and ask. The question of how
much money they are going to
receive should not be the first
thing out of their mouth. The
ASUO is not an employment
agency.
Let me add that the stipend
my son received this year was
paltry when compared to the
projected incomes of the in
coming ASUO administration.
Since Jeff is graduating soon,
I guess you'll just have to find
someone else at the University
to pick on. I'd suggest trying
the University president or the
dean of the law school, but
you already took the time to
blast these fine men in a
previous letter. I’m sure you’ll
find something else to bitch
about real soon, though. Until
then, see you at the bank.
Jett Nudelman
sanior, unemployed
Protest time
The first U.S. military ad
viser has died in El Salvador.
His death is only one of many,
but it is significant.
American nuns and jour
nalists also have been killed in
this Central American en
tanglement, as have
thousands of Salvadoran
citizens.
Pres. Reagan has made his
position quite clear: He will
keep sending war to El
Salvador as long as the
American people will allow it.
How long will it be until we
demand a change?
El Salvadoran citizens don't
have the luxury of apathy. The
“communist guerrilla” who
killed that U.S. adviser is cry
ing out for human rights in the
only way he can. These people
need our help — not our
weapons.
This latest American death
can only arouse more anger
and violence in Central
America. But it can stimulate
thought in the United States.
As a university community,
we should be more thoughtful
than most. If that thought
does not lead to action the
status quo will remain. If we
are not working for change, we
are supporting the atrocities
committed by the Salvadoran
government.
We gather to hear campus
speakers denounce the "sin"
of homosexuality, while U.S.
tax dollars support murder,
torture and rape in El Salvador.
When will we begin to
assemble for human rights?
The end has been declared
to student apathy, and I do not
believe students are apathetic
about this matter.
How about it, ASUO?
My conscience tells me it is
time to protest.
Leslie Scales
junior, journalism
Oregon daily m _
emerald
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