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SUNNY Temp: 77 °F Wind: NNW at 11 mph Tuesday, May 20, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 27, 2003 Both parties say, ‘Raise taxes’ Speakers at a Medford town hall meeting Saturday say budget cuts have gone too far By BILL VARBLE Mail Tribune Speaker after speaker, many of whom identified themselves as Republicans, on Saturday delivered a clarion call to state Sen. Lenn Hannon and Rep. Rob Patridge to raise taxes. The comments came in a morning town hall meeting hosted by the two Republicans at Medford City Hall. Describing school closures and cuts to social services, speakers said almost unanimously that spending cuts to balance Oregon’s budget had finally gone too far. "We’ve cut the fat, and we’re cutting bone and muscle," said Bill Carter, of Medford, who said he was a Republican. "Please, please, please support additional revenue." "We’re talking about the fabric of society," said retired teacher Barbara Davidson, of Medford. Hannon, R-Ashland, and Patridge, R-Medford declined to appear at a Friday hearing sponsored by the State Family Services Commission in Medford to discuss the impact of budget cuts on Southern Oregonians. Rep. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, attended that session. Hannon said he and Sen. Peter Courtney, D-Salem, are proposing to raise $500 million in revenue by cutting corporate tax credits by 10 percent across the board. He said give-aways to corporations in the form of credits had gotten out of hand over the years. "If you ran a business like this, you’d be in bankruptcy court," he said. Hannon was particularly critical of efforts to lure a major league baseball team to Portland. "It troubles me that we don’t have the money for education, but we have the money for a damn baseball stadium," he said. Many in the audience asked "what is stopping" lawmakers from cutting corporate tax credits by 10 percent. "It’s a little more complicated than across-the-board cuts," Patridge said. He said some corporate tax credits are good for the state, and encourage industries that provide jobs to settle here. Hannon countered that Portland General Electric, an Enron subsidiary, paid $10 in income tax to the state last year. He said he wants state lawmakers to vote on a partial corporate tax credit cut "straight up." Patridge said he supports a state sales tax — something the state’s voters have repeatedly rejected — but he does not think major changes will be made in the state’s tax structure until a crisis in funding Oregon’s Public Employees Retirement System is resolved. Hannon acknowledged that the two Republican lawmakers do not always agree. Mostly, they listened. "These meetings are polite," said Michael Koester, of Ashland, who spoke against cuts to programs for low-income disabled and elderly Oregonians. "What’s happening on the street is far from polite," he said from a wheelchair. "It’s criminal." June Buck, of Medford, said corporations don’t look only at tax credits when they think of opening or moving a plant or office, but of a state’s schools, courts, roads and quality of life. "I voted for both of you," said a woman who gave her name as Mary and said she was both disabled and a crime victim. "I’m a lifelong resident of Medford. And I want to tell you, I want my taxes raised." "I’ve been a Republican all my life," Ed Chapman said. "I want you to go back to Salem and tell them what you heard here." Reach reporter Bill Varble at 776-4478 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S