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The Oregon Poor People's Campaign will be joining with Portland Democratic Socialists of America in a rally and action in Salem on Monday, May 21. Governor Kate Brown is calling a special session to cut taxes for business owners. Join us to protest this tax cut for already wealthy individuals. As reported in The Oregonian, this tax plan will mostly benefit high-income individuals making well over $200,000 a year. It would take away critical revenue needed to fund schools, affordable housing, and other vital services. Giving a tax break to wealthy business owners is moving us in the wrong direction. Our country and our state needs a fair, tax system that can provide the services we need. Our schools, our elders and the mentally ill have a hard time lobbying for services. We need to do it for them. There are two possible Actions of the Week. Action 1: Join the Oregon Poor People's campaign and the Portland Democratic Socialists of America at their rally on the Capitol steps to protest this special session for the wealthy. The rally is in Salem on Monday May 21 from12-1pm. Tell our state officials that we want our tax system to reflect our values! Immediately following the rally, the Oregon Poor People's Campaign will lead people in an action that may result in civil disobedience; other participants may be witnesses. Watch for the email from the Oregon Poor People's Campaign that will have the RSVP link. Sign up here to receive the email. Action 2: If you can't make it to Salem (or even if you can), let your Oregon legislators know that you do not want to see them pass this tax cut. You can do that here. Your email will give the legislators and Governor Brown some suggestions. They could make the tax cut revenue neutral, meaning it will not affect the Oregon State Budget. They can put a sunset date on the tax cut so it runs out a few years from now. In Love and Faith, Rev. Katie Larsell Calendar May 18-20th Rural Organizing Project, 2018 Rural Caucus and Strategy in the Dalles. More Info Sept 15 -- Oregon Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice Annual Social Justice Conference. Mark your Calendar!
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A very important bill awaits Governor Kate Brown’s signature, but it is sitting on her desk. She has just a couple of weeks left to make her decision. Business interests are pushing her hard to veto this bill. For the good of Oregon’s teachers, students, and working families, she needs to sign it immediately. Senate Bill 1528 preserves over $1 billion in revenue over the next five years for Oregon to invest in our schools and essential services — rather than handing that money over to well-off business owners in the form of yet another tax break. Senate Bill 1528 says “no” to a costly and unjust part of the Trump tax plan, a new tax deduction for what’s called “pass-through” income. This kind of income mainly flows to those at the top. ( I asked you to support this bill in February. It passed, and now we need your help again. It needs to 'pass' off of the governor's desk) Business owners already enjoy a special Oregon tax break and will still get the deduction on their federal taxes. Senate Bill 1528 stops them from getting yet another state tax benefit. Businesses are better off when local schools are strong and their customers are more economically secure with affordable housing and health care. If Gov. Brown vetoes this bill, our schools will suffer as will the social services programs that we all depend on. Those that would benefit would by-and-large be many of the same people who will also benefit from the Trump Tax Cut. Action of the Week: Tell the Governor that it is time for her to take a stand for kids (the biggest chunk of Oregon's budget goes to education and human services). Its time for her to sign Senate Bill 1528. Click here to send a message to the Governor. In Love and Faith, Rev. Katie Larsell PS. Today is the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s death. I didn't think I would take it so hard. Love and care to all of you who have been listening to this news and finding yourself heavy-hearted. When I hear about tax breaks for the wealthy, I feel it in my gut, not my head. It takes me a minute to figure out why they offend me so much. When I look at our seven principles, I realize every one of them is touched. They degrade our democracy, our communities, and value the rich over the poor.
Recently, Congress passed a Federal Tax Bill that favored wealthy individuals and corporations. One of the features of the Federal Tax Bill was something called a pass-through provision. The pass-through provision allows business owners to pass income through from a business to themselves as individual business owners. They then pay the lower personal rate on this income. The pass-through provides a huge tax cut for already wealthy people. There is lots of criticism of this new Federal Pass through -- but did you know Oregon has such a pass through already in our tax code! The pass through was enacted here in 2013 as kind of a 'dress rehearsal' for the Federal Tax Bill! We can't afford this. It's an expensive tax break for a not-so-wealthy state like Oregon. This one tax break costs us close to $300 million dollars per budget cycle in lost revenue. 69% of the recipients of Oregon's pass through tax break have incomes over $500,000. 23% of the tax cut go to those who make between $200,000 and $500,000. Come on, that is terrible! As Oregon UU Voices for Justice Action of the Week: Let your Oregon legislature know that you oppose pass-through tax breaks. Click here to let them know. When I see $150 million in taxes lost to Oregon every year, I think of low-income students trying to go to college. Others might see pre-school cuts, or low-income housing lost. What do you see? In Love and Faith, Rev. Katie Larsell |
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