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As a former tax accountant and one who still files a quarterly Sales and Use Tax return in Washington, I see lots of reasons to be against a sales tax.//First, as someone already noted, it's regressive. Regressive means that it taxes lower income people at a higher rate than it taxes higher income people, because people with limited incomes tend to spend everything they make, and spending is what is taxed. An income tax is fairer if it's structured properly. //Second, implementing a sales tax means answering a lot of hard questions and setting up a whole new bureaucracy. What are you going to tax? Only goods, or goods and services? Any exemptions? Baby food? Insurance premiums? As to structure, we have a bureaucracy designed to collect income taxes from Oregon residents and people who work or own property in this state. To implement a sales tax, you add a whole new dimension...new forms, new filing requirements, new auditors, a huge education program because EVERYONE in ANY kind of business becomes a tax collector. You have to reprogram cash registers, create administrative rules. Often there's a basic, statewide tax, and also local taxes that get added by every county, city and taxing authority. If you buy something outside the state and bring it in to use it, you owe a "use" tax. This, of course, is nearly impossible to enforce. //I think a better idea is to revamp the income tax so that it becomes more progressive and fair. Contrary to an earlier post, Oregon's tax is not a flat 10%, but a graduated percentage as your income increases, starting at 5% and topping out at 9%. THE problem with Oregon's income tax structure is that this "progressive" range stops at a very low level, after which the rate is a flat 9%. I think people should not pay ANY tax at some reasonable amount, say $10,000 per adult, but should pay higher rates than 9% when their income rises into the hundreds of thousands...even millions (can you imagine?) Of course, no one has the political chops to actually suggest this in the legislature, so nothing changes. //Rather than fighting a sales tax again, let's start lobbying for a completely redesigned income tax. And while we're at it, let's get off the "all taxes are bad and I don't want to pay any" kick. I don't mind paying income tax to Oregon. I love this state and am thankful for the services it provides its citizens. And I'm happy to have an income to pay taxes on.

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
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When I hear discussions of this proposal, I find myself saying, "But, primaries are PARTY functions!" And, indeed they are: They're to determine the candidate a particular party wishes to have stand for election. So, if that's the case, why is the public paying for those elections?

It seems to me that if the parties wish to have an election to name their candidates, they should do so under their own steam (and financing). Then, their candidate may be put forth along with others in a "pre-election" that narrows down the final election to the top two or three vote getters.

posted 4 years, 8 months ago
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