Anti-Tax Ballot Measure Clouds Future

One of the most important developments to watch involves a group of anti-tax activists who are organizing to repeal the recently-passed $733 million tax increases on some businesses and wealthy individuals. The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes is reporting that this coalition is already well on their way:

While Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski took roughly three weeks to sign two controversial tax bills into law, the secretary of state's office spent less than six hours Tuesday approving the paperwork that allows opponents to begin gathering signatures to put the tax increases on the ballot.

A broad coalition of business groups and tax activists are hoping to collect some 55,000 valid signatures by the Sept. 25 deadline to put each of the tax measures up to a vote of the people at a Jan. 26 election.

The tax increases were necessary to cover a massive budget deficit caused by the current recession. Mapes is also reporting that the coalition has already raised $200,000 to fund the effort:

Associations representing homebuilders, restaurants, grocers and auto dealers each kicked in $25,000. Several oil distributors kicked in at least $40,000, two beer distributors gave a total of $20,000, Associated General Cotnractors gave $12,500 and the Realtors donated $10,000....

Lori Hardwick, the go-to fundraiser for Oregon Republicans, has been signed on by the anti-tax coalition (which calls itself Oregonians Against Job-Killing Taxes) and $100,000 has already been put into the signature-gathering effort. And, of course, the mastermind behind the campaign is Mark Nelson, the Salem lobbyist and consultant who orchestrated the defeat of the 2007 cigarette tax hike that was put on the ballot by the Legislature.

I will update the blog with info as the effort progresses.