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Oregon Income Tax Rate Increase Initiative (2014)
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
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A Oregon Income Tax Rate Increase Initiative, also known as Wealthy Should Pay Their Fair Share, did not make the November 4, 2014 ballot as an initiated state statute. The measures would have increased the income tax rate for taxable income for both individual and joint filers. One proposed initiative would have applied to incomes over $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for joint filers, while another would have applied to income over $500,000 for individuals and $1,000,000 for joint filers.[1][2]
Background
Oregon was poised to become a battle ground regarding "right-to-work" initiatives. Multiple measures were proposed for and against restrictions on the use of payroll deductions and the process of negotiating such deductions. On March 3, 2014, Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) announced that several initiatives regarding this issue would be withdrawn following negotiations between the several opposing measure supporters. Thirteen measures were withdrawn due to this negotiation. The discussions were instigated by Gov. Kitzhaber in order to avoid the expensive campaigning battle that was likely to breakout between the opposing measures. The negotiations took several months to complete. The anti-payroll deduction proposals that were withdrawn due to this agreement were initiative petition 1 and initiative petition 9. The remaining withdrawn initiative petitions were union-backed measures, including initiative petitions 14, 15, 16, 18, 30 and 33, as well as 17 ,19, 29, 32 and 35. All of these measures, except for 35, were sponsored by Our Oregon.[3]
A measure prohibiting restrictions on payroll deductions and a measure prohibiting all payroll deductions from public employees to or on behalf of any public employee union for any purpose were not withdrawn due to these negotiations. However, as of June 6, 2014, neither petition had been approved to circulate, making both unlikely to reach the November ballot.[3]
Text of measure
Proposed initiative 29
The certified ballot title read as:[1]
| “ | Increases income tax rate for taxable income over $250,000/$500,000 (individual/joint filers)[4] | ” |
The full text of the certified ballot title and summary can be read here.
Proposed initiative 32
The certified ballot title read as:[2]
| “ | Increases income tax rate for taxable income over $500,000/$1,000,000 (individual/joint filers)[4] | ” |
The full text of the certified ballot title and summary can be read here.
Support
Both versions of this initiative were submitted by Patrick Green as the chief petitioner. Green also sponsored two measures to increase the corporate excise tax and six measures to modify the minimum corporation tax scheme, all of which he later withdrew.[1][2]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Oregon signature requirements
Green filed proposed initiative number 29 on September 17, 2013 and withdrew it on March 3, 2014. He filed number 32 on October 10, 2013 and withdrew it on December 5, 2013.[1][2]
If Green had gone forward with the measures, a minimum of 87,213 valid signatures would have had to been collected by July 3, 2014 to place the measures on the ballot.
Related measures
Oregon Minimum Corporation Taxes Initiative (2014)
Oregon Corporate Excise Tax Increase Initiative (2014)
Oregon Voter Approval of Employee Rights Changes Initiative (2014)
Oregon No Dues Collection by Government Amendment (2014)
Oregon Prohibition of Restrictions on Negotiations for Payroll Deductions Amendment (2014)
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division, "Detailed Information For : 29/2014," accessed June 6, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Oregon Secretary of State, Elections Division, "Detailed Information For : 32/2014," accessed June 6, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 People's World, "Oregon ‘right-to-work’ initiative dropped," March 12, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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State of Oregon Salem (capital) |
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