Our Economy

FAIR AND EQUITABLE TAXATION

AN ECONOMY FOR ALL OREGONIANS, NOT JUST THE FEW

I believe in maintaining OR's Income Tax Kicker Law for average working Oregonians, but not to take money away from our schools just to line the pockets of corporations and the extremely rich.

I will work to end the corporate kicker, and establish a permanent Rainy Day Fund to protect our schools during slow economic times. In 2005, we gave $27 million away to out of state corporations which should have stayed in OR for our kids' education. It is just common sense and fiscally responsible that our state should build a savings account to help when times are tough.

Agriculture is District 9's largest industry. I am the candidate who is the farmer's friend. I worked hard for the passage of Measure 49 protecting Oregon's farm and timber land from destruction by big developers. I also support the estate tax exclusion to protect farming families from losing their farms due to taxes. "I will protect funding for the AG Extension service.

I will fight to protect District 9 farmers from having their land and its value stolen from them by the natural gas industry.

OR workers have been increasingly productive and efficient, bringing increased income into the state. This money has been going almost entirely into the pockets of the extremely wealthy.

I will work to narrow the income inequality, to build an economy that works for all Oregonians, not just the few.

I recognize that trade unions improve the situation for all workers. When unions are strong, wealth is more fairly distributed.

I agree with Ron Wyden when he says,

"It's outrageous, even by federal government standards, that over half of the Forest Service budget is spent on fighting fires while tens of millions of acres of choked, second growth forests go un-managed, waiting to burn," said Wyden. "Government inaction, endless appeals, and poorly allocated resources have put communities, jobs and forests at risk like never before. If we are willing to work together toward bipartisan, sensible solutions, we can restore our forests, reduce the risk of catastrophic fire, protect old growth and ensure good, family-wage jobs for decades to come."

Wyden noted that The Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) authorized up to $760 million in new money to complete hazardous fuel reduction work on 20 million acres of federal forest land, but that only 77,000 acres had been treated.