Hearing Alert! Kotek bill gives agency power to raise taxes, ban products

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

TAX ALERT! HB 2528 gives unelected bureaucrats the power to raises taxes and the power to ban legal products without a vote of the people or lawmakers.

Kotek’s own bill, House Bill 2528 gives the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) extraordinary added powers to regulate any nicotine product including the power to ban outright any nicotine product they dislike without a vote of the people or without a vote of our elected representatives. Under HB 2528, unelected OHA officials could ban vaping/cigarettes at a whim and effectively destroy a hundred local small family businesses overnight. This is a new way for politicians to outsource both power and decision making to unelected agencies.

If OHA officials do indeed wipe out these small businesses under HB 2528 (all without a vote), Oregon will lose an estimated $176 million of health care tax dollars from the current tobacco tax. Ironically, vaping is often the #1 method people use to quit smoking. Any OHA ban or partial ban (like banning flavor) will push Oregonians to buy their products online (made in China/Mexico) that are untaxed and unregulated. HB 2528 gives OHA the power to extend nicotine taxes to other untaxed nicotine products without a vote of the people or lawmakers. This is taxation without representation. This will lead to other products being taxed w/o a vote.

If you wish to submit an online testimony in the hearing click here then CLICK THE REGISTER TO TESTIFY LINK (see below)

Please call or email the State Representatives on the House Commerce/Consumer Protection Committee.

Tell them to vote NO on HB 2528. No on giving state agencies power to ban products without a vote of the Legislature.

No to giving agencies power to raise taxes on (nicotine) products without a vote of the Legislature.

Under HB 2528, if OHA begins banning (vaping/etc.) products, the state will lose $176 million in tobacco tax revenue.

Always be extra-polite, kind and courteous when you call.

Representative Nathan Sosa
[email protected]
503-986-1430

Representative Farrah Chaichi
[email protected]
503-986-1435

Representative Virgle Osborne
[email protected]
503-986-1402

Representative Jami Cate
[email protected]
503-986-1411

Representative Willy Chotzen
[email protected]
503-986-1446

Representative David Gomberg
[email protected]
503-986-1410

Representative Courtney Neron
[email protected]
503-986-1426

Representative E. Werner Reschke
[email protected]
503-986-1455

Representative Kim Wallan
[email protected]
503-986-1406

Representative Jules Walters
[email protected]
503-986-1437

Oregon Catalyst