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MONDAY February 23, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels January 20, 2004 Vote yes on 30 to keep funding Right now, Oregonians have a balanced budget for the next two years that provides basic and stable financial support for public education, human health services and public safety. The Oregon House and Senate passed this budget with a two-thirds majority in each branch and the governor signed the bill into law. They did the job we elected them to do. At the same time, there was a companion bill passed that specified budget cuts totaling about $800 million dollars over two years in the event the balanced budget legislation was overturned in a referendum vote. That is what Measure 30 is about. A yes vote supports the balanced budget; a no vote turns down the budget and triggers budget reductions in public education, human services and public safety. The reductions are divided, about half from K-12 education and the rest from health services such as the Oregon Health Plan and treatment programs, public safety and the judicial system. A yes vote means the plan for raising $800 million dollars over two years stays in effect. About two-thirds of the revenue comes from a pro-rated, progressive surcharge on the amount of income tax a single or joint household pays. Lower income folks pay little or nothing above and beyond what they would normally pay while higher income folks pay more. The other third of the revenue comes from adjustments in business taxes and credits, the extension of the 10-cent tax on cigarettes and other areas. There are many sources of information about the details of Ballot Measure 30, not the least of which is the Voter Pamphlet sent in the mail to registered voters. You may also want to visit the Yes on 30 Web site. We lie in the bed we make and if fewer than 51 out of 100 people vote yes on Feb. 3, Oregonians as individuals and as a community will be the less off for it. The governor just announced that a special session will most likely not be called to do damage control. The legislators have "been there, done that" as they say. The no vote voices will continue to make claims about waste, the money is there, we can get by, the cuts won't be that bad, smaller is better, let them fix it, it's bad for the economy, or just tough it out. You can take a chance and fall in with them. But when I look at the history of this issue, going back to Measure 28 and earlier, and the slow but steady erosion of public services that will be further impacted if a no vote prevails, I don't want to take that chance. And, by the way, it is estimated by many that a defeat of the measure will result in economic losses, as in federal matching funds and lost income and purchasing power of employees, that far exceed the costs of passage which is spread out across individuals, businesses and the cigarette tax. The balanced budget plan is fair and reasonable, people can afford it given what Oregon gets for the services maintained. Right now we need stability. We don't need to "go back to square one" as one legislator put it. Vote yes on Measure 30. Steve Haskell, Ph.D. Ashland Tax increase is not called for The Jan. 12 Opinion & Editorial page of the Daily Tidings reflects the general lack of knowledge surrounding Measure 30 and its impact on state expenditures. The sources for this letter are Legislative Revenue or Fiscal Office publications accessible from the http://www.leg.state.or.us/budget_tax/home.htm Web site. Currently, the State of Oregon plans to spend $37.1 billion in the 2003-05 budget which is $2.5 billion more than the 2001-03 biennium. If Measure 30 fails, the legislators have effectively directed expenditure cuts of $666.4 million in the education, human services, and public safety and courts program areas. (The K-12 budget of $5.2 billion would decline $337.9 million.) In other words, they will rob these areas to maintain $13.8 billion of expenditures (10 percent higher than 2001-03) for such items as administration, economic and community development, and transportation. As a senior and the parent of two Oregon teachers, I view this as Machiavellian extortion. I do not agree that "This is likely as good as it gets for budget." Whereas I appreciate the efforts of all who advocate the short term solution offered by Measure 30, I would suggest that you express your displeasure of going through this annual charade to our governor and Legislature - all of them. They can, if necessary (which appears probable), reallocate the cuts and borrow or transfer from other non-General Fund accounts. Their contact information is located at: governor.oregon.gov/contact.htm www.leg.state.or.us/senate/members.htm www.leg.state.or.us/house/hsemembers.htm Jo W. French Sr. Ashland 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: A new improved archive search is coming! Look for it in mid-February! .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams