Two tax hikes passed by the Legislature face a powerful new opponent: a broad business coalition willing to spend millions of dollars to persuade voters to reject the increases.
Dozens of business lobbyists and officials met in a crowded Salem hotel conference room Friday to launch a high-powered effort to refer the personal and corporate tax increases to the ballot. They hired lobbyist and political strategist Mark Nelson, who masterminded a 2007 campaign that defeated a ballot measure raising cigarette taxes.
“We have a highly motivated group,” said Jay Clemens, president of Associated Oregon Industries, which helped put together the coalition. “People were ready to pitch in and go to work on a campaign.”
While conservative tax activists have talked for months about referring the $733 million in tax increases to the ballot, the powerful business coalition raises the likelihood that the issue will go before voters. It also means that supporters of the taxes, including public employee unions, AARP, school activists and social service advocates, face a tougher and more expensive campaign.
Several business lobbyists said they decided to join the campaign because Democratic legislative leadership had brushed off their attempts at a compromise.
In particular, they said they were angry that the Legislature made the tax increases permanent instead of asking business to help the state during the recession. …
Read the original article at FinanceOre
Related Posts
Tags: Business, finance, Recession, social, taxes
