Democrats plan to raise taxes without Republican support

By Oregon House Republican Caucus,

SALEM, Ore. – Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) today pushed back on recent comments from a Democratic state representative celebrating the party’s supermajority as a way to raise taxes without any input from Republicans.

The Portland Democrat previously wrote, “…Democrats will not be held hostage by Republicans to pass needed tax increases. We can go it alone if we need to, provided we can muster all of us to vote the same way.”

He recently doubled down on this idea, writing, “This [supermajority] will give Democrats the ability to pass revenue-raising bills without Republican votes.”

“These comments expose the majority party’s intent to force through tax hikes despite record-high revenue in the latest forecast, even as everyday Oregonians struggle with rising costs and making ends meet,” said Leader Bonham. “Democrats seem to believe their supermajority entitles them to raise taxes on Oregon families, regardless of what voters want.”

Leader Bonham pointed to the overwhelming defeat of Ballot Measure 118—a major tax proposal that voters rejected by a 4:1 margin—as proof that Oregonians don’t want higher taxes.

“The message from Oregonians couldn’t be clearer: no more tax increases,” Bonham continued.

“But instead of listening, Democrats are using their supermajority to make life even more expensive in Oregon. If they’re going to ignore the will of the people, they’ll have to do it on their own.”