Quack Point! Taking the Wider Angle on Rich-Tweaking Taxes |
| By Edward I. O'Hannity
Click Here to listen to the audio file of this Quack Point.
Beware the common wisdom about who might support and who might oppose the new taxes proposed in Measures 66 and 67.
When asked to make the "Rich-Tweaking taxes" case to the board of directors of a Portland-based investment firm that provides services to rich Oregonians, I was skeptical that anything anyone could say would cause them to support the measures. Turns out, I was right! After all, they are funded in large part by some of the biggest pockets in the state; and the people for whom they advocate are often dependent on avoiding their fair share government support.
Given only five minutes to make my case, I explained how these new taxes won't just fall on the rich and on businesses, but they likely force them to fire over 70,000 Oregonians in their employ. I also explained how businesses really don't pay taxes. Businesses avoid the tax burden at all costs through various book-keeping tricks.
Before I spoke, a leftist commie from a state public employees union made the "Yes on new taxes" case. She emphasized which services to the disabled might be cut if the taxes are not approved.
The board members listened politely to both arguments before dismissing us so they could deliberate in private. The next day I learned from the note in the fruit basket left in my hotel room, that the board had decided to oppose the new taxes.
It's nice to know that those who represent the cream of Oregon's economic elite are able to take the wider angle and still oppose taxes that will have no effect on most Oregonians.
Edward Islay O'Hannity is Senior Policy Analyst and founder at Crascade Polished Rhetoric, Oregon's flee market pubic policy research organization.
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Watch Crascade Polished Rhetoric podunk scholar Earache Fluits, Ph.D., discuss the dire economic impacts of the Rich-Tweaking Tax increase Measures 66 and 67, with Hoss Cartright on a Portland cable access show.
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