Our Oregon Coalition/Citizens for a Sound Economy/Phil Stanford

[January 28th, 2004] Although WW's editorial board has come down strongly in favor of Ballot Measure 30 (see endorsement, page 12), here at the Rogue Desk our only allegiance is to the truth. And in the battle over the proposed temporary income-tax hike, we find fault with the campaign tactics of both sides.

We'll begin with the yes side: Our Oregon Coalition. On its website, the group claims that if Measure 30 fails, "300 to 350 inmates could be released each month from Oregon prisons." This is extremely misleading because it's actually true, just not in the way the proponents imply. Oregon already releases about 350 inmates each month because they've finished doing their time. Releasing an additional 350 prisoners a month isn't possible, given mandatory sentencing laws. "We can't do that," says prison spokeswoman Perrin Damon.

Representing the no side, we have the roguery of Washington, D.C.-based Citizens for a Sound Economy. First, there's CSE's claim in a Dec. 16 report that "the $1.1 billion hike...comes to $825 per household." Again, the statement is true, but deceptive. The $1.1 billion figure is for all three years the tax will be in effect, and the $825 figure implies that everyone will pay the same amount. Because the tax hits the rich harder than the rest of us, the typical Oregonian (with an annual salary of about $34,000) will actually pay $81 per year.

The only people paying $825--even over three years--are earning six-figure salaries.

And let's not overlook Portland Tribune columnist Phil Stanford, who twice has complained about those greedy state employees in his grumbles about Measure 30, which he regards as a pay cut for all Oregonians. Last week he wrote, "If anyone can tell me why I should take a pay cut...while state employees are getting cost-of-living increases, I'll vote for it." We hope you hung on to that ballot, Phil, because state employees' wages have been frozen since last June.