Taxpayer Association of Oregon [1],
Tax Update
In 2 hours the Oregon House voted for a massive gas-tax/car fee increase HB 2001, and then a transit payroll tax increase SB 34 (details below). Here is the gas tax vote;
YES=38, — Bailey (D), Barker (D), Barnhart (D),Barton (D),Bentz (R),Berger (R),Beyer (D),Boone (D), Bruun (R), Buckley (D),Cowan(D),Dembrow (D),Edwards- David (D),Edwards-Chris (D), Equivel (R), Galizo (D), Garrett (D), Gelser (D), Gilman (R), Greenlick (D), Holvey (D), Hunt (D), Jenson (R), Kahl (D), Komp (D), Kotek (D), Mathews (D), Nathanson (D), Read (D), Riley (D), Roblan (D), Schaufler (D), Shields (D), Smith Greg (R), Stiegler (D), Tomei (D), VanOrman (D),Witt (D)
Nays =22,–Cameron (R), Cannon (D), Clem (D), Freeman (R), Garrard (R), Gilliam (R), Hanna (R), Harker (D), Huffman (R), Kennemer (R), Krieger (R), Maurer (R), Nolan (D), Olson (R), Richardson (R), Smith J.(D), Sprenger (R), Thatcher (R), Thompson (R), Weidner (R), Whisnant (R), Wingard (R).
HB 2001: Gas Tax: A 6-cent gas tax increase, vehicle registration fee from $32 to $54, vehicle title fee from $55 to $77,surcharge on a pair of license plates from $5 to $20,higher weight mile taxes for trucks, vanity plates increase cost. But wait there is more. State Representative Dennis Richardson exposed what he calls an “economic catastrophe” in the bill which forces the Metro area to reduce greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2035 and to empower all government bodies to work together to force it to happen. By the speeches, the strange mix of Democrats voting no was because the bill would increase traffic use and be environmentally unfriendly. Rep. Cannon even mocked car users by saying building new roads would save only a few minutes of people’s commute. One of the best speeches in opposition came from Rep. Bill Kennemer who said he is the only person in the chamber who remembers the votes for the earlier gas taxes (1989, 1991) and how their promises never came true and this shoddy bill is the same batch of broken promises. Congratulations to House Republican leader Bruce Hanna for keeping most of his caucus together against this huge gas tax hike and all of his caucus together (minus Jenson) against the payroll tax that is coming at such a terrible time for taxpayers.
SB 34, Transit Payroll Tax. As if a $300 million gas tax was not enough, the House voted for a payroll increase!!!!
YES= 32,Bailey (D),Barker (D), Barnhart (D),Beyer (D),Boone (D),Buckley (D),Cannon (D), Clem (D), Cowan (D),Dembrow (D), Edwards-David (D),Edwards-Chris (D), Galizo (D), Garrett (D), Gelser (D), Greenlick (D), Holvey (D), Hunt (D), Jenson (R), Kahl (D), Kotek (D), Mathews (D), Nathanson (D), Nolan (D), Read (D), Riley (D), Roblan (D), Schaufler (D), Shields (D), Smith- J (D), Tomei (D), Witt (D).
Nays, 28–Barton(D), Bentz(R), Berger(R), Bruun(R), Cameron(R), Esquivel(R), Freeman(R), Garrard(R), Gilliam(R), Gilman(R), Hanna(R), Huffman(R), Jenson(R), Kennemer(R), Komp(D), Krieger(R), Maurer(R), Olson(R), Richardson(R), Smith G.(R), Sprenger (R), Stiegler(D), Thatcher(R), Thompson (R), VanOrman(D), Weidner(R), Whisnant(R), Wingard (R).