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Tax-cut measures appear beaten Sizemore-backed initiatives would have cost state billions By Jonel Aleccia Amy Amrhein finally exhaled Tuesday night as voters in Jackson County and across Oregon rejected spending limit and tax-cut initiatives that could have slashed billions of dollars from state schools and social services. Measures 91, 93 and 8 failed by comfortable margins locally and across the state, early returns indicated. "I think that Oregonians have pretty much said they like Oregon the way it is," said Amrhein, an Ashland woman who coordinated a coalition of business, education and civic leaders to campaign against the measures. "Voters did their homework, they researched the measures and they understood that a lot of them were a bit deceptive," she said. Backed by anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore, Measure 91 would have allowed residents and corporations to fully deduct federal income taxes on their state forms. It was failing statewide 54 percent to 46 percent, with 59 percent of precincts reporting. In Jackson County, the measure was going down 51 percent to 47 percent, with 18 percent of precincts counted by 11 p.m. Measure 93, another Sizemore initiative, would have required voter approval of fees and taxes raised after Dec. 6, 1998. It was failing statewide 59 percent to 41 percent. Locally, the figures were 51 percent against the measure, 45 percent for it. Measure 8 would have limited all state spending to 15 percent of Oregonians� personal income. It failed statewide 55 percent to 45 percent. Locally, very early returns called the vote much closer, with 48 percent against it and 47 percent for it. Collectively, the measures would have squeezed at least $7 billion from the state budget, forcing lawmakers to make deep cuts that likely would have come from education and the Department of Health and Human Services, opponents said. The measures promised to cut taxes and limit state spending, two popular pocketbook concepts, said Peggy Penland, a Medford school board member who campaigned against them. Getting voters to understand the potentially devastating effects of passage was crucial, she said. "I think 91 failed because we have Mr. Sizemore to collectively hate, so that message was easy to get across," Penland said. "Whether we agree with him or not, we know where he�s coming from." Explaining the potential impacts of Measure 8, which would have cut some $5.7 billion from state coffers, was more difficult. The measure would have forced Oregon to return billions in federal matching funds. "Talking to people at work, talking to businesses, that was the key to getting the message out to voters so they could thoughtfully fill out their ballots," Penland said. Bill Thorndike Jr., a Medford businessman who campaigned against the measures, said even though the measures failed, the state Legislature needs to pay attention to lingering frustration over taxes. "The measures had some appeal," he said, "until you really started looking at the consequences." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.