Issue Position: Oregon's Budget

Issue Position

We face a grim budget outlook because of the recession that goes on and on. Our tax revenues that pay for schools, health care, and public safety have fallen and will be up only a little in the next biennium. I will work to increase the fairness of Oregon's tax system without increasing taxes on the poor or middle class. We begin a major review of Oregon's tax credits that tend to benefit those in the know and not Oregon workers. I will also push to review and revise our other tax loopholes to bring more revenue to pay for education, health care and public safety without affecting most Oregonians. The passage of the tax measures by the people in January makes the task a bit easier and brings in dollars our children, and the sick, need us to have to support Oregon's most basic budgets. Most of the new corporate tax increases are paid by out of state corporations who usually take their profits to pay high executive pay in other states or dividends to stockholders in New York and London. I will also work hard to establish a Rainy Day Fund to protect Oregonians in the next recession.

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