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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2007)
Labor has voice on panel examining Oregon’s tax system Several top labor leaders will be part of a discussion of how to overhaul Ore- gon’s tax system. The 30-member Task Force on Com- prehensive Revenue Restructuring, cre- ated by the Oregon Legislature earlier this year, had its first meeting Nov. 29. Meeting monthly, it will have until Nov. 1, 2008 to develop a proposal for the Legislature’s 2009 session. Representing organized labor on the task force are Leslie Frane, executive di- rector of Service Employees Interna- tional Union Local 503, and Jerry Caruthers, executive director of the Ore- gon Education Association. Two other labor officials will be among the 13 non- voting members of the task force: Bob Shiprack, executive secretary-treasurer of the Oregon State Building and Con- struction Trades Council; and Ralph Groener, political coordinator for Ore- gon AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employ- ees) Council 75. Labor’s role was spelled out by House Bill 2530, which set up the task force. Other slots were set aside for businesses, local government officials, and liberal and conservative tax and ad- vocacy groups. The governor made 21 of the 30 appointments. The other nine members of the task force include State Treasurer Randall Edwards, and four state senators and four state representa- tives. A separate seven-member advi- sory council of accountants, economists and tax attorneys will help the task force. Tim Nesbitt, former president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, will be the gover- nor’s staff liaison to the group. Nesbitt is deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ted Ku- longoski. As detailed in House Bill 2530, the task force is supposed to review Ore- gon’s tax structure from top to bottom — not just state revenues, but cities, counties and school districts, too. The state budget is funded mostly by income tax, while county budgets rely on property tax. “The counties have a stable revenue source,” Nesbitt said. “It just doesn’t keep up with growth. The state has a volatile revenue source, but it’s one that pays off in good times.” “Our concern will be making sure the tax base is both adequate and equitable,” said Frane about her union’s involve- ment. “We want to make sure the tax burden is shouldered appropriately and that working people don’t pay a dispro- portionate share.” The task force will be led by former Republican State Rep. Lane Shetterly of Dallas, Ore. Shetterly led a group of 11 Republicans in the 2005 session of the Legislature who bucked party leadership and voted to refer a temporary income tax surcharge to voters in order to avert budget cuts. The surcharge was defeated by a more than three-to-two margin. Shetterly then resigned and was ap- pointed by the governor to head the Ore- gon Department of Land Conservation and Development. House members on the task force are Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene), Tobias Reed (D-Beaverton), Sal Esquivel (R-Med- ford) and Scott Bruun (R-West Linn). The senators are Ginny Burdick (D- Portland), Kurt Schrader (D-Canby), Frank Morse (R-Corvallis) and Rod Monroe (D-Portland). Gradine Storms Real Estate Broker Member of CWA Local 7901 E-Mail: gstorms@equitygroup.com www.equitygroup.com/gstorms 7886 SE 13th Ave. Portland, Oregon 97202 Direct: 503-495-4932 Branch: 503-233-8883 Swanson, Thomas &Coon ATTORNEYS AT LAW Since 1981 Each Office Independently Owned and Operated James Coon Q Quest Investment Management, Inc. • Serving Multi-Employer Multi-Employer Serving Trusts for for Over Twenty Years Trusts Twenty Years Jacqueline Jacobson Ray Thomas Kimberly Tucker Margaret Weddell Cynthia F. Newton Tip of the Week: If you become disabled and are covered under a long-term disability policy, contact a lawyer as soon as you apply for benefits. } Cam Johnson Cam Johnson Adrian Adrian Hamilton Hamilton Doug Goebel Goebel Doug Garth Nisbet Greg Sherwood Greg Sherwood Monte Monte Johnson Johnson Bill Zenk Zenk Bill Pat Worley One SW SW Columbia St., Suite 1100, Portland, OR 97258 One 1100 Portland, 503-221-0158 503-221-0158 www.QuestInvestment.com www.QuestInvestment.com DECEMBER 7, 2007 We represent people on all types of injury and disease related claims. n Workers’ Compensation n Construction Injuries n Personal Injury/Product Liability n Death Claims n Asbestos/Mesothelioma n Social Security Disability We provide straight answers at no cost on any of the above areas of law. CALL US or VISIT OUR WEB SITE ( 503) 228-5222 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS http://www.stc-law.com PAGE 7
