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It's semi-old news but Doonesbury sees fit to visit the issue so I suppose I will too, being a public school student in Oregon.

The economy being in the shitter (moreso in Oregon than elsewhere, so I've heard), income tax revenues are down across the state. As a result, the state has had and continues to have massive problems keeping financially afloat. (My Econ. teacher insisted this was because we lack a sales tax)

Resultantly, the state has slashed the education budget (among others; there are elderly citizens and mentally unstable people that could die because of budget cuts to the programs that service them) and so school districts across the state have had to cut days from the school year. Portland school district has cut something ludicrous like 25 days of school. My school district (Forest Grove) has so far cut six and might have to cut 4 more.

Now, there was an emergency referendum voted on in January that could have saved some of those days, as well as ensured money for the elderly/mentally sick I mentioned above. It would have raised income taxes temporarily (3 years, I think) and been a relatively inexpensive tax increase.

Nope. Oregon voters voted it down. Fuckers. This is why direct democracy is bad.

My mother voted against it. Said she saw the waste happening where she worked, at the police department. (records entry clerk, also does the front desk) Sure, there might be waste at the Forest Grove School District, but not 6 million dollars worth!!! That is total fucking bullshit and I hope anyone who seriously uses that excuse gets fucked over! I might be graduating this year, but I a) feel for the poor bastards who have to go through high school for the next few years, and b) I'm still getting screwed because I'm attending college in this state.

BLARG. Wanted to get that off my chest.

Comments?

A temporary tax increase? Riiiiiiiiiight...

The economy sucks. All of us, including the government, have to cut our spending. I may be acting like an ass, but that's how it is.

However, I'm sure Oregon, like any other state, spends lots of money on stupid bullshit (pork). Cutting that spending would be a good idea, but that will never happen.

Uraniun235 wrote:t would have raised income taxes temporarily (3 years, I think) and been a relatively inexpensive tax increase.

Nope. Oregon voters voted it down. Fuckers. This is why direct democracy is bad.

WRONG WRONG WRONG

You actually think that they'll repeal the tax after 3 fuckign years?

ROFLMAO

We only just recently in the last few years, repealed a "temporary" tax on
phones that was instututed to pay for....THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR!

IIRC, Governor Taft of Ohio is cutting educational spending, too. Ah, ignorance marches on. Soon, Ohio will become a TOTAL hick state, and not just a haven for drunken rednecks anymore.

1) The referendum IIRC stated three years. For the state to suddenly decide to keep taxing at that rate beyond the three years would be equivalent to Congress passing a law abolishing the Federal Income Tax, and the IRS continuing to collect it regardless of the law.

2) Oregon is one of the lowest-taxed states in the Union, and the school system deserves a stabler tax base than what it has.

Uraniun235 wrote:1) The referendum IIRC stated three years.

You poor, naive fucker....do you actually BELIEVE they'll obey that?

Uraniun235 wrote: Resultantly, the state has slashed the education budget (among others; there are elderly citizens and mentally unstable people that could die because of budget cuts to the programs that service them) and so school districts across the state have had to cut days from the school year. Portland school district has cut something ludicrous like 25 days of school. My school district (Forest Grove) has so far cut six and might have to cut 4 more.
Comments?

Fear not! Big business shall step in and save the day.

Honestly, that's unfortunate the education dollars were slashed. Do you have any idea on how much this amount was?

Uraniun235 wrote:1) The referendum IIRC stated three years. For the state to suddenly decide to keep taxing at that rate beyond the three years would be equivalent to Congress passing a law abolishing the Federal Income Tax, and the IRS continuing to collect it regardless of the law.

2) Oregon is one of the lowest-taxed states in the Union, and the school system deserves a stabler tax base than what it has.

I do agree, a sales tax wouldn't be a horrible idea, it's certainly preferable to the income tax.

All I know is that my district alone has to cut over 6 million from next year's budget.

You poor, naive fucker....do you actually BELIEVE they'll obey that?

LOOK, you cocksucking assmonger, Oregon's one of the lowest taxed states in the union, so I don't particularly GIVE a fuck! When a school district has to cut a FUCKING MONTH OF SCHOOL, SOMETHING'S FUCKED UP.

Maybe you flunked out of high school and couldn't give a rat's ass, but some people would prefer that those stupid Gallup polls don't someday show "95% of the American people don't believe in evolution".

Besides, Oregon is blessed (cursed) with an initiative system; if the citizens really didn't want to be taxed any further at that rate, they'd pass an initiative and force the state to lower taxes. Oregon lawmakers are spineless chickenshits because they know the Oregon populace can override by popular majority any policy they put out and then vote them out next election. That's partially why Oregon is so fucked up to begin with.

Most states are going through pains like this. CA is very fucked right now. Local govts are starting to lay off fire and police in addition to teachers. Recently the CA govt just figured out unemployment is far higher than they thought. ( double ) DUH! I could have told them that.

What is the property tax there? In general Im against raising taxes in times like this cause who the fuck can afford it. Then again there are folks like me right now paying ZERO income taxes and thats part of the problem.

All I can say is you are not alone.

Uraniun235 wrote: LOOK, you cocksucking assmonger, Oregon's one of the lowest taxed states in the union, so I don't particularly GIVE a fuck! When a school district has to cut a FUCKING MONTH OF SCHOOL, SOMETHING'S FUCKED UP.

Hey, a free month of summer vacation! is what everyone else would think....but no...not you Lisa Simpson types...

Besides, Oregon is blessed (cursed) with an initiative system; if the citizens really didn't want to be taxed any further at that rate, they'd pass an initiative and force the state to lower taxes. Oregon lawmakers are spineless chickenshits because they know the Oregon populace can override by popular majority any policy they put out and then vote them out next election. That's partially why Oregon is so fucked up to begin with.

Interesting. I need to move there. Montgomery County, MD is hideously
overtaxed...

Sales taxes are actually the best type of tax, in that they do not discriminate against anyone in any way. Those who buy a hell of a lot of expensive shit (who would coincidentally tend to be the wealthy) naturally pay more sales tax, but it's still fair because they're choosing to buy all of that shit.

Uraniun235 wrote:All I know is that my district alone has to cut over 6 million from next year's budget.

6 Million!?! From your school district alone!?! Cripes! I can imagine that computers will be the first to go and some government clod will produce a report stressing that schools go back to the 3 r's.

A whole month of school lost!?! Student's won't be able to complete the curriculum unless they shorten it or water it down to accomodate the 25 days that are going to be chopped.

Darth Wong wrote:Sales taxes are actually the best type of tax, in that they do not discriminate against anyone in any way. Those who buy a hell of a lot of expensive shit (who would coincidentally tend to be the wealthy) naturally pay more sales tax, but it's still fair because they're choosing to buy all of that shit.

Just don't tax food and heating oil...

Next of Kin wrote: A whole month of school lost!?! Student's won't be able to complete the curriculum unless they shorten it or water it down to accomodate the 25 days that are going to be chopped.

You haven't been in a pubic skuel in the last ten years haven't you?

Trust me, those kids are going to learn about the same as they would've...

JACK SHIT.

NOTHING, repeat, NOTHING gets done that last month before summer
vacation.

There is no need to start name calling. I certainly wouldn't mind a month being cut off from school back when I was in grade school, besides, it is cutting off the end of the month and that is the sucky month anyways. Tell me, does anyone actually do anything in June anyways? A lot of people stop coming to school at the last weeks anyways.

Durran Korr wrote:
I do agree, a sales tax wouldn't be a horrible idea, it's certainly preferable to the income tax.

Couldn't the state slap a sin tax on booze and cigarette sales to generate some more revenue?

MKSheppard wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:Sales taxes are actually the best type of tax, in that they do not discriminate against anyone in any way. Those who buy a hell of a lot of expensive shit (who would coincidentally tend to be the wealthy) naturally pay more sales tax, but it's still fair because they're choosing to buy all of that shit.

Just don't tax food and heating oil...

Cant speak for oil, but food ( grocery store ) isnt taxed in most places as far as I know.

Are you still not allowed to pump your own gas in Oregon?? WTF is that all about?

MKSheppard wrote:
NOTHING, repeat, NOTHING gets done that last month before summer
vacation.

Why? Are you a high school student yourself?

Next of Kin wrote: Couldn't the state slap a sin tax on booze and cigarette sales to generate some more revenue?

Won't work. People will just buy their smokes and booze in another state.

Losing the last month of school isn't going to hurt much. Not that it's a good thing, but they could easily make up the time by cutting some of the BS you find in every school curriculum.

MKSheppard wrote:

Next of Kin wrote: Couldn't the state slap a sin tax on booze and cigarette sales to generate some more revenue?

Won't work. People will just buy their smokes and booze in another state.

Only for people fairly close to the border. Driving hundreds of miles to get booze and smokes isn't going to be feasible for most people, so they'll just deal with the tax.

Sea Skimmer wrote:Losing the last month of school isn't going to hurt much. Not that it's a good thing, but they could easily make up the time by cutting some of the BS you find in every school curriculum.

I would go a step further than that. You could probably get rid of the last year of high school without any significant effect (come on, everyone knows Senior year is a waste of time).

Sea Skimmer wrote:Losing the last month of school isn't going to hurt much. Not that it's a good thing, but they could easily make up the time by cutting some of the BS you find in every school curriculum.

I guess it depends on how they do the chopping. True, taking a couple of days out of each month would be a lot less drastic then say, cutting the entire month of June.

Durran Korr wrote:
I would go a step further than that. You could probably get rid of the last year of high school without any significant effect (come on, everyone knows Senior year is a waste of time).

You'll just be learning the same amount of curriculum in three years that you used to learn in four. Burn out! Unless, you're the type who doesn't give a rat's ass about school!