Seen a Rogue on the loose? Get in touch with our Roguemeister: JOHN SCHRAG jschrag@wweek.com (503) 243-2122 FAX: (503) 243-1115 Oregon Tax Research, a Portland think tank, bills itself as having provided "independent, non-profit, non-partisan tax research since 1935," but in at least one case its work is at best misleading and at worst absurdly inaccurate. The fact that their erroneous information involves school funding--the state's most pressing and contentious issue--makes it all the more roguish. OTR prepares reports on various tax issues and sends out a regular "TaxFax" to its subscribers, many of whom are elected officials and high-level employees of such companies as Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Nike and US West--the very people whose words carry the most influence in Salem. In the TaxFax of June 16, OTR director Matt Evans wrote, "Average teacher salaries statewide have increased over $10,000 per year--or 31 percent--since 1990." This is simply false. If, as Evans says, teacher salaries increased $10,000 per year, that would mean salaries have increased $90,000 this decade--a ridiculous assertion, considering the average Oregon teacher makes about $42,000 annually. Contacted by WW, Evans says what he wanted readers to understand was that Oregon salaries had increased about $10,000 in total over the '90s--a claim that's tough to believe, considering his word choice. "If people misunderstood, then I apologize," Evans says. Henry Breithaupt, a Stoel Rives lawyer who serves as an OTR director, says the TaxFax is ambiguous, but he is certain that Evans had no ulterior motives. "This is a glitch, not a policy statement," Breithaupt says. "I'm sure that Matt will be more careful next time." Evans, however, says he will not issue a correction. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published July 14, 1999