By Taxpayers Association of Oregon / OregonWatchdog.com
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Have you heard the news? An extra surge in personal and business taxes has brought in $300 million more than expected, according to the latest State Economic Forecast. If we apply this to previous revenue lost in economic forecasts, we end up with a $64 million loss to Oregon’s budget. Politicians are focusing on the $64 million loss as an excuse that the government is broke and needs new taxes. Yet, that $64 million loss comes within a bloated state budget that is 11% bigger than the previous state budget. That’s right, the Oregon State Government just grew 11%, and they’re crying poverty with a $64 million correction.
With the new $300 million in surplus funds to void the previous losses and an 11% budget growth, there is no need to pass a $4.3 billion gas tax. This is why there is a referendum petition drive to stop the gas tax (read more here).
Politicians cry foul in over $64 million in cuts.
Here are some government programs that could be cut:
- $10 million for Portland mega-restaurant. Tax dollars are being given to build the (privately owned) James Beard Public Market in Portland. This comes after public tax funds were used to build the super-luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel and food court which is now facing bankruptcy after being open for only one year.
- $3 million ODOT plans to spend on Electric Vehicle stations. ODOT, as we speak, is trying to give away $3 million of tax dollars to private companies to build expensive electric vehicle chargers for the personal use of electric vehicle owners. Building private charging stations is like government building gas stations. It is not the role of government.
- $3 million for Portland festivals. A three million grant was given to the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute to support festivals at Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park. It is not the role of government to force rural Oregon to pay for festivals in big cities that can cost as much as $75 to attend.
- $2 million to give legal aid and resettlement aid to illegal migrants. $2 million was allocated for refugee resettlement agencies and non-profits. We remind our readers that the last Legislature awarded $27 million in free airport hotel services to illegal migrants. It was so generous that California began directing their new migrants to go straight to Oregon to get their free hotel. The program was overloaded and quickly ran out of money. Additionally, the funds in this bill are dedicated to helping “asylum seekers” — a category that was rarely used by illegal migrants seven years ago but became universal among border crossers once the Biden administration made it a short-cut around the process. Once everyone used this category, it overwhelmed the system and doomed the chances of the people who legitimately needed to use it because their life was threatened.
- $5 million in Hollywood-film tax credits. Again, it is not the role of government to give lavish tax cash hand-outs to millionaire film producers to make movies for private profit. $5 million in hand-outs are being given out this December.
- $15 million for Hillsboro Baseball stadium. In 2024, the Legislature awarded the Hillsboro Hops baseball team $15 million in taxpayer funds to boost their stadium (in addition to $18 million in lodging tax revenue). With $33 million in total tax cash handouts, maybe the baseball team could spare a few million out of their $33 million hand-out to help the State. The baseball team could hold a few fundraisers to close the gap.
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