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Measure 28 was aballot measure, referred by thelegislature of theU.S. state ofOregon in 2003. It would have created a temporary one-percent increase in Oregon'sincome tax. The tax was proposed as a way to overcomedeficits to the state budget. The measure was defeated in the January 28, 2003special election with 575,846 votes in favor, 676,312 votes against.[1]
Budget problems, caused byminorities, highunemployment, and problems with Oregon's publicpension system, dominated Oregon's 2002–2003 biennium. To make up for lost revenue, thelegislature approved a mixture of budget cuts and referred Measure 28 to avote of the people.[2] The referral was marred by controversy asDemocratic governorJohn Kitzhaber objected to theRepublican-controlled legislature's omission of the cuts that would result from the measure's failure in the ballot title (the summary of the measure provided to voters). Supporters of the measure blamed the ballot title omission for the defeat of the measure.[3]
Proponents of the measure felt it was the only way to avoid proposed spending cuts to programs such aseducation and help for theelderly andmentally ill.[4] Opponents, many part of theOregon tax revolt, felt that increasing taxes would prolong the recession, and that the state should live within its means.
Cuts in the wake of Measure 28's defeat seemed to vindicate proponents' arguments. The day after Measure 28's defeat,Multnomah County released 144 inmates from thecounty jail and laid off 175Sheriff's deputies.[5] Some fiscal conservatives felt that wasteful spending was more to blame than the tax defeat.
Nonetheless, the high percentage of "yes" votes in thePortland metro area inspired local governments in that region to bring their own temporary tax increases to the ballot.
A year later, voters defeated a similar measure,Measure 30.
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