East Portland Chamber of Commerce

The following letter was written to Senator Hass in response to his recent vote regarding House Bill 3405-A.  House Bill 3405-A would increase the state’s corporate excise tax, which is now set at 6.6 percent, to a marginal rate of 7.9 percent for corporate net income in excess of $250,000 for the 2009 and 2010 tax years. The rate would be reduced to 7.6 percent for income over $250,000 for the 2011 and 2012 tax years. And for the 2013 tax year and beyond, the corporate tax rate of 7.6 percent will continue for net taxable Oregon income over $10 million. This applies to C-Corporations.  Senator Hass originally voted NO on this bill, but then the following day, changed and Voted Yes.

Dear Senator Hass,

I had hoped that as a former reporter — one who deals in facts and strives for fairness — that you would not cave on the tax hike.  Perhaps I expected too much.

Yes, you are correct that the rainy day account should be funded every year.  But if that is so, why don’t you have all taxpayers contribute?  Why single out only businesses…the very people who take risk, innovate, provide our goods and services and create jobs?  This is the productive segment of society.  Why penalize them?

And why did you make this unfair tax permanent? This adds insult to injury!

And the bigger issue is that the burdens of this recession are not equally shared.  Nearly everyone I know in the private sector has had their hours reduced or their pay cut or their benefits trimmed…and often all of the above.  And a number have lost their jobs.  Yet in the public sector, I see very little sacrifice.  I’m not advocating cutting jobs, but I do think a 10 or 15% across-the-board pay reduction for all public employees would equalize the burden.  It would be evidence of shared sacrifice. And it would help balance the budget.

Instead, I see government leaders threatening to cut teachers, police, fire-fighters — the hard-working, front line public employees.  In my view, this is a cynical and punitive move by the political class.  And you wonder why the average person in this state is frustrated with their government!  Until you and other political leaders have the courage to set policy and pass laws that treat everyone equally, to assure that in hard times like these there is shared sacrifice — instead of pitting one group against another — the everyday citizens in Oregon will neither trust nor support their elected leaders.

Please — I know you and your fellow elected officials can do better!

Respectfully, Daniel LaGrande

LaGrande Public Relations
2000 NE 42nd Avenue, PMB 132
Portland, OR 97213