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May 14 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels January 12, 2004 This is likely as good as it gets for budget As with last year, Oregon voters find themselves with a ballot initiative that, if passed, will mean higher taxes across the board. No one likes higher taxes, so without considering what the extra income will provide for Oregonians, it is easy to rush to the conclusion that this is another case of tax-and-spend politicians out of control. The reality is somewhat different. Stark numbers prepared by the secretary of state's office show what cuts will happen if Measure 30 fails: $298.9 million for education, the vast majority going toward primary and secondary schools; $187.6 million for services to children, families, seniors and disabled citizens; and $58.1 million for public safety. Of the $1.2 billion in income that would be generated by the measure through 2007, $796.8 million would come from a personal income tax surcharge; however, $261 million of that would not be collected if Oregon's economy improves. The remainder of the revenue would come from corporate income tax ($253.7 million), an extension of a cigarette tax ($31.9 million) and alterations to the property-tax discount for early payment ($43 million). The numbers seem a bit daunting when taken as a whole, so it is important to understand what the measure means for the average taxpayer. The median income for a household in Ashland is $32,670, and the median income for a family is $49,647. Notwithstanding the adjustments required because of existing tax laws, the median household will see a 1 percent surcharge, and the median family will see a 2 percent surcharge. These surcharges apply to the current tax, not total income, so the net effect on the median household will be $25.84, and for the median family the difference will be $41.12. It is true that these numbers are not zero, but they represent between $1 and $1.60 per pay period, and for the many people whose income is below the median, even less. For that amount, giving schools full funding, keeping the state police fully staffed and maintaining social programs that have already seen drastic cuts falls squarely within the realm of reason. In the months since the Legislature passed the bill that is now before voters, no person or group has been able to come forward with a better way to avoid spending cuts. This is not to say that Measure 30 is a perfect solution - but outside of controlled experiments, no solution is ever perfect. Measure 30 is as close as we can hope to come. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams