Radio panel: Three lawmakers and Don McInitre as lone taxpayer voice

Taxpayer Association of Oregon update

This week, Don McInitre was on an Oregon Public Broadcasting Panel with three lawmakers. The lawmakers have all been in the news recently for their tax increase ideas (Rep. Ben Cannon on income tax increase, Senator Frank Morse on eliminating income tax kicker refunds). McIntire criticized that the political debate has been exclusively about the needs of government and not about the needs of taxpayers. Senator Morse implied on the need to get tax revenue from tourists and visitors. To that, McIntire responded by reminding everyone that having no sales tax is a reason why so many visiting consumers buy in Oregon. Taxing them will chase them away. One of McIntire’s best points is that Oregon needs a spending limit, especially in light of the last budget with 21% growth. If McIntire’s 2006 spending limit would have passed, it could have forced the government to grow at a more sustainable pace and not create overspending backlashes that we have now.