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SEIU Local 503, AFL-CIO, CLC
PRESORTED
STANDARD
Oregon Public Employees Union
P.O. Box 12159
SEIU
U.& POSTAGE
PAID
Salem, OR 97309-0159
Permit No. 202
Salem, Oregon
Stanger Ibgeftier
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Tax Reform: as Important as it is Unentertaining
by Leslie Frane, SEIU Local 503, OPEU Executive Director
Woody Alien can make
tax reform seem entertaining,
Toi even
/
A.
▼ But unless we change Oregon’s tax struc
ture, our future will include one budget crisis after
another. We will face constant attacks on our wages
and benefits and on the services we provide.
When I talk with members about taxes, I frequently
War the following questions -
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I Aren’t our taxes high already?
>
I
If you look only at income tax, our taxes seem high. But if
you look at total tax burden, including sales and property ' ’
taxes, Oregonians pay less in slate and local taxes than resi
dents of thirty-six other states.
I Why not just raise taxes on corporations and
wealthy people?
i
I
The share of taxes paid by businesses and rich people has
'
dropped dramatically over the last decade. So it’s reasonable
to expect the most prosperous of Oregonians to pay the lion’s
share of any tax increases. But we also need to acknowledge
political reality. In addition to our preferred solutions, we may
IMsill»
need to consider some changes we aren’t crazy about
in order to build enough support for us to prevail.
I So what’s the solution?
We don’t know. yet. Part of the problem is finding a
; solution that is both fair and politically viable. SEIU,
our international union, has just committed $200,000
in New Strength and Unity funds to help us build the
necessary coalitions here in Oregon to find and build
support for tax solutions. We will consider both
legislative and initiative-based approaches.
I What can individual union members do?
Vote against ballot measures that would further erode
our tax base. And make sure you talk with our friends
and family about tax reform.
No one likes the idea of paying more taxes. But most
Oregonians will accept tax increases if they .
understand that the only alternative is, the ongoing
deterioration of services they need. We need to help
people make the connection between tax reform and
quality public services. The subject may be boring,
but it is critically important for our future.