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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2002)
P a g c A 4 _____________________________________ ®l|e ^OrtUltb (ObaerUer_____________________ November 20, 2002 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer The Portland Observer E d I T O E -I N - C h C I E F .P U E L I S H E K k e a t iv e D ik e c t o k Chartes H. Washington Paul Neufeldt E u i r o k A s s o c ia t e E d it o k Michael Leighton Wynde Dyer USPS 9 5 9 -6 8 0 Established 1970 4 7 4 7 NE M artin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 9 7 2 1 1 I I 11 TIOH M a N A G E K Mark Washington D I STI W K IT E K , PHOTOGKAFHEK David Plechl P ostmastex : Send address changes to Portland Observer PO Box 3 1 3 7 , Portland, OR 9 7 2 0 8 P e rio d ic a l Postage paid in P o rtla n d , OR i S u b s crip tio n s are $ 6 0 .0 0 per year 5 0 3 -2 8 8 0 0 3 3 • FAX5 0 3 -2 8 8 0 0 1 5 • EMAIL: news@portlandobserver.com subscriDtion@oortlandobsener.com The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 1996 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer-Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Repre sentative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serving Portland and Vancouver. i t, Don’t Burn It “W e live in an age of rapidly expanding technology and innovation. And with all the convenience, possibility and promise this technology brings, we also encounter new problem s and challenges. When the boundaries expand, so too must the rules. When the boundaries expand, so too must the rules. The issue of copyright infringement through illegal downloading and duplication of copyrighted material — be it music, movies, books or other goods — is critically important and often anging Tax System Fails by C harles S heketoff The issue of copyright infringement through illegal downloading The recession that began in 2001 has resulted in new calls and duplication of copyrighted material— be it music, movies, for Oregon to revam p its tax system to add more “stability.” books or other goods — is critically im portant and often M ost o f O regon’s tax revenues come from the personal overlooked,” Jackson stated. “For some, this issue may simply be a matter of education - income tax, supplem ented in small part by the Lottery and corporate income taxes. W hen the economy turns sour, so the fact is, most people don’t even realize that unauthorized downloading or duplication of copyrighted material is illegal. does the state’s primary revenue stream. The demand for stability is a straw man for a change in our Just because you have a nice computer with Internet access and tax system that m ay not lead to im provem ent or better- a CD burner does not make it any less so. Most people wouldn’ t supported public services, and is a thinly veiled attem pt to walk into a record store and steal a CD. Piracy is no different, duck the real culprit in Oregon’s revenue misfortune. Some of yet its prevalence is staggering,” continued Jackson. “The ramifications of these practices are much broader than the loudest demands for stability are coming from the same m ost people realize. It affects everyone from the artists and songwriters to the large-scale consumer electronic and technol ogy companies .But those hardest hit by this form of wholesale theft through illegal copying are the small urban record stores, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition young artists trying to break into the industry and even the truck are greatly concerned over the growi ng issue o f piracy in the drivers and laborers who transport and distribute the music we music and entertainment industries through the illegal download love. “W e owe it to everyone affected by this form o f theft to ing and duplication of copyrighted materials. Each month more than two billion music files are downloaded educate our friends and family on this important issue. Do the from the internet and 60 percent o f those are burned onto CD- right thing— buy it, don’t bum it.” The power to quit smoking is within your reach. people who sold the legislature and the voters the so-called “Education Stability Fund” that will barely fund education and will add little stability during the next downturn. The Education Stability Fund gives stability a bad name. Years ago the Legislative Assembly adopted seven “guid ing principles” for Oregon’s tax system: (1) ability to pay; (2) fairness; (3)efficiency; (4) even distribution; (5) equitable; (6) adequacy; and (7) flexibility. 1 Oregon can address stability without raising taxes by converting the kicker refund into a source fo r future rainy days. | Stability was not part of the mix, and that’s not surprising. The economy is not stable and never will be. During better- than-expected times, Oregon sends unanticipated tax rev enues primarily to our wealthiest residents. Adding insult to this fiscal injury, the Legislature is loath to save for rainy days. The state’s kicker law and reluctance to save during good tim es made Oregon uniquely unprepared for the decline in state revenues. During the unprecedented economic growth 1-877-270-ST0P We know how hard it is t smoking and we know what works. Let us give you a helping hand. Call us today. o f the 1990s, Oregon sent $1.4 billion back to Oregon taxpayers instead of saving it for a rainy day fund. About two- thirds o f that refund went to the wealthiest taxpayers. If Oregon had saved all the unanticipated revenues since first distributing them in 1985, our rainy day fund would have $2.8 billion today. The rainy day fund would have provided Oregonians with stability, without resorting to new or in creased taxes. W hile O regon’s tax system has trem endous room for improvement, Oregon can address stability without raising taxes by converting the kicker refund into a source for future rainy days. The next time someone tries to sell you new tax in the name of stability, tell them you have a better prescription for making Oregon’s system stable and able to weather future rainy days. )?DHS Charles Sheketoff is the executive director o f the Oregon Center fo r Public Policy. He can be reached at P.O. Box 7, Silverton, Oregon 97381-0007, or by e-mail at csheketoff@ocpp.org. Oregon Tobacco Prevention & Education Program ' O rp o n n R pm i Oregon Department of Human Services www.healthoregon.org/tobacco 1-877-2N0-FUME (Spanish) TTY: 1-877-777-6534 S u b scribe^, ouiClipMt^ tdlO! |Jortlanb (Obstruer Story Ideas for the Portland Observer? Do you know about a story that hasn't showed up In othor newspapers? If so, the newly expanded Portland Observer editorial staff would like to know. Ptooso fill our this form and attach a brief description of your news tip so we can contact you. O utline of Story I d e a : __________— ----------------------------------------— ------------------------------------------------ Attn: Subscriptions PO Box 3137, Portland OR 97208 s u b s c r ip tio n s are j u s t $60 pe r y e a r (please include check with this subscription form) NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: N am e:________ __ ___________ __________________________ — — ---------------- ----- Phone:_________ ____ ________________________________________ _— — —------ Send your response to: The Portland Observer Editorial Staff, 4747 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, Or. 97211 or fax 503-288-0015. Submissions can be made by emailing newsOportlandobserver.com
