Rep. Reschke: Why Measure 118 is so bad

By Oregon State Representative E. Werner Reschke,

What is Measure 118?

Measure 118 will be one of several ballot measures on your ballot this November. Put simply, Measure 118 is a tax, another tax. Whenever a new tax is introduced into Oregon’s economy, it means you will pay more for the things you buy, period.

I’ll Give You 2 Shiny Nickels for that Old Quarter

Measure 118 tries to fool you by claiming you’ll get a check from the government. “Pass 118 and get money,” is the pitch. Sounds great, right? But Measure 118 is the classic bait & switch. As my Dad used to say, “There is no such thing as a free lunch, someone always pays.” In this case that is you — you’ll be paying more with higher prices on everything.

Measure 118 is like going to your favorite cafe to buy a coffee for $5. Pass Ballot Measure 118 and you could get money back from the government, but now the coffee’s price will increase and could be $8, or higher. But it won’t just be coffee’s price going up — everything will go up! What’s worse is Measure 118 is not just a tax, but a tax on a tax!

Source: NoOnMeasures118.com

How Measure 118 Works

Measure 118 will tax businesses on their gross revenue, not their profits. That means you won’t be taxed directly, but indirectly through higher prices everywhere. When your gas station, your utilities, your grocery store, your coffee shop, your home improvement store, your doctor’s office, your delivery service (Door Dash, Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, etc), your bank, your cell phone service, your home and auto insurance, your beer or wine, your prescriptions and your fast food restaurant all have their taxes go up, they pass that cost along to you. Furthermore, if they use electricity or fuel to keep the lights and get supplies to their location, those additional costs will also get passed along to you.

This tax is called a gross receipts tax; it is the worst kind of tax for businesses because even if the business is losing money, it will incur these new tax costs directly or indirectly — and pass them along to you.

Gross receipts taxes discourage businesses from coming to Oregon, for start ups to find their footing and for current businesses to expand. That means fewer jobs in Oregon; that means less opportunities for Oregonians. That’s why both Democrat and Republican lawmakers are opposed to Measure 118.

As Oregonians try to recover from high inflation, Measure 118 will breath new life into further increasing prices on nearly everything you buy.

Don’t Be Fooled.

Oregonians Don’t Deserve Higher Prices!

Vote NO on Measure 118.

For more information visit the No On Measure 118 website.