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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 2010)
Page 4 The INDEPENDENT, January 7, 2010 BALLOT: Taxes are focus of Measures 66 and 67 From page 1 At this time, Oregonians with annual taxable income over $15,200 ($7,600 for individu- als) pay a state income tax rate of 9 percent after deducting Federal income taxes, and un- employment benefits are tax- able. Measure 66 would: • Eliminate income taxes on the first $2,400 of unemploy- ment taxes received in 2009. • Raise the tax rate by 1.8 percent on household taxable income between $250,000 and $500,000, and by 2 percent on income above $500,000. ($125,000 and $250,000 for in- dividuals). • In 2012 the tax rate for high income (same as figures above) taxpayers would drop to 9.9%. • The tax rate on income be- low $250,000 ($125,000) would not change. • The Federal income tax de- duction would be reduced for households with adjusted gross income at or above $250,000 ($125,000). If Measure 66 passes, it is estimated that approximately three percent of state taxpay- ers will see higher income tax rates. It will have no effect on most taxpayers. Changing now from person- al taxes to business taxes, some corporations in Oregon still pay a $10 minimum tax, which has not changed since 1931, and some pay a 6.6% profits tax; none of them pay both, and many profitable cor- porations pay only the $10 min- imum. Measure 67 would: • Increase the minimum cor- porate tax to $150. • Require some corporations with over $500,000 in Oregon revenues to pay a minimum tax of approximately 0.1 percent of revenues earned in Oregon. • Limit the tax on S Corpora- tions and partnerships to $150.00. • Have no impact on sole proprietors. • Raise the tax rate some corporations pay on profits by 1.3 percent until 2011; then drop to 1% and, in 2013 apply only to profits over $10 million. • Limit corporations to either the minimum tax or the profits tax, not both. Because of the multitude of corporate structures, explain- ing this measure is difficult. Those who are interested in more specifics can find a good flow chart showing how Mea- sure 67 affects any type of cor- poration, at the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP). Their web site is http://www.ocpp.org OSAF leadership changes hands The Oregon Society of American Foresters has elect- ed Mike Cloughesy as chair- elect for 2010. Cloughesy, di- rector of forestry for the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, will serve as chair-elect for one year before assuming the chair position in 2011. Tim Keith, current chair-elect and a forester with the Oregon Department of Forestry, will move to the chair position for 2010. Shaun Harkins, a forester with Plum Creek in Coos Bay, was elected dele- gate at-large. Cloughesy has been the di- rector of forestry for OFRI since 2003. Previously he was a pro- fessor of forestry extension at the College of Forestry, Oregon State University. With 964 members in 12 chapters throughout the state, the Oregon SAF is the largest of the 33 affiliates of the nation- al society. SAF is the scientific and educational organization that represents the forestry profession in the United States. Founded in 1900 by Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, SAF is the largest professional society for foresters in the world. Little change in County employment numbers Columbia County’s season- ally adjusted unemployment rate was 12.7 percent in No- vember, essentially unchanged from the previous month (13.1%) and higher than the year before (8.5%). The rate was above the statewide rate (11.1%) and the national rate (10.0%). Total employment climbed by 64 to 21,575, but the number of unemployed people rose by 112 to 3,129. Total employment this Novem- ber was 1,089 fewer than one year before and there were 1,032 more people unem- ployed this year. Community Calendar VERNONIA Alcoholics Anonymous Mondays 6:30 p.m., 410 North Street Alcoholics Anonymous Thursdays (Big Book Study) 7:00 p.m., 410 North Street American Legion Post #119 2nd Thursday 7:00 p.m., 627 Adams Avenue Booster Club 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., VHS Library Boy Scout Troop 201 Tuesdays 7:00 p.m., Scout Cabin Boy Scout Troop 860 Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., LDS Church Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday 6:30 p.m., City Hall CERT 4th Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-3018 Chamber of Commerce 2nd Wednesday For Info Call 503-429-6081 Community Coalition 2nd Monday 12:30 p.m. School District Ofc. Cub Scout Pack 201 Scout Cabin For Info Call 503-429-4250 Friends of the Library 1st Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Vernonia Library Girl Scouts, Neighborhood 4-2 For Info Call 503-819-0143 Hands On Art Committee 1st & 3rd Thursdays 4:00 p.m., City Hall Izaak Walton League 3rd Thursday For location call 503-429-7193 Lions Club 1st & 3rd Tuesdays 6:30 p.m., Buckhorn Restaurant Municipal Airport Committee 4th Thursday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Pioneer Museum For Info Call 503-429-3713 Public Works Committee 4th Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Cares Directors For Info call 503-429-1414 Vernonia City Council 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Community PTA 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., WGS Library Vernonia Grange 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., Grange Hall Vernonia Health Center 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., 510 Bridge St. Vernonia Learning Center 1st Wednesday 6:00 p.m., VLC Vernonia Parks Committee 3rd Wednesday 6:30 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Planning Comm. 1st & 3rd Thursdays 7:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Pride 2nd Thursday 1:00 p.m., City Hall Vernonia Ridge Riders Last Thursday 7:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia RFPD Board 2nd Tuesday 6:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia School Board 2nd Thursday 6:00 p.m., District Office Vernonia Sr. Center Board 2nd Friday 1:00 p.m., Senior Center Vernonia Transfer Station 2nd & 4th Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Behind VHS Vern. Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. 1st, 3rd & 4th Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters 2nd Monday 7:00 p.m., Fire Station WOEC Directors 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., WOEC MIST-BIRKENFELD M-BRFPD Board Business Mtg. 2nd Tuesday M-BRFPD Board Workshop 4th Tuesday M-B Ambulance Drill 1st & 2nd Thursdays M-B Fire Drill 1st & 2nd Wednesdays M-B Helping Circle 2nd Monday M-B SAR Drill 3rd Wednesday M-B Volunteer Assoc. 1st Tuesday Natal Grange 2nd Wednesday T.O.P.S. Mondays Upr Nehalem Watershed Council For date call 429-0869 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station 7:30 p.m., Natal Grange Hall 9:00 a.m., Main Fire Station 7:00 p.m., Main Fire Station BANKS Alcoholics Anonymous Fridays 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church Alcoholics Anonymous Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Methodist Church American Legion Post #90 2nd Tuesdays 7:30 p.m., Main Street Post Banks City Council 2nd Tuesday 7:30 p.m., City Hall Banks Fire District #13 2nd Wednesday 7:00 p.m., Station 13 Banks Library Commission 3rd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library Banks Planning Commission Last Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Hall Banks School Board 2nd Monday 7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library Banks Youth Group Sundays, Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg. Chamber of Commerce 1st Thursday 12:30 p.m., Fire District Office CPO 14 3rd Monday 7:00 p.m., City Library Friends of the Library 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., City Library Lions Club 1st & 3rd Mondays 7:00 p.m., Brown Derby Sunset Park Assoc. 3rd Wednesday 8:00 p.m., Gun Club T.O.P.S. Wednesdays 7:00 p.m., Administration Bldg. COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.) Board of Commissioners Wednesdays 1:00 p.m., Courthouse Citizens for Senior Justice 2nd Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church NAMI 1st Tuesday 5:30 p.m., 58646 McNulty Way Columbia Soil & Water District 3rd Wednesday 7:30 p.m., NRCS , 2514 Sykes County Fair Board 2nd Monday 6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds 4-H Bldg. County Parks Commission 3rd Tuesday Times vary, 1054 Oregon St. Mental Health Advisory Comm. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Comm. on Children & Families 3rd Thursday 5:30 p.m. OSU Ext., 505 N. Hwy. 30 Local Alcohol & Drug Plann. Comm. Quarterly For Info call 503-397-7211 Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410 or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.