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Oregonians are notoriously anti-sales tax — but at what cost? State services, such as public safety and education, must rely heavily on property taxes and unstable income taxes. With the recent economic downturn, this has required massive service cuts to keep the state budget balanced.
On May 6, speaker Elizabeth Harchenko will explore how Oregon might ensure stable and adequate revenue through innovative ideas and strategic thinking. Harchenko will identify the problems with Oregon’s current revenue stream, including the issues inherent in populist budgeting via an initiative and referendum system. She will discuss creative alternatives to Oregon’s heavy reliance on property and income taxes; and will address what government could potentially achieve if our underlying assumptions changed.
Elizabeth Harchenko served as the Director of the Oregon Department of Revenue until March 2011. She also served as chair of the Multistate Tax Commission and is past president of the Western States Association of Tax Administrators.
This is a Premier Issue forum.
Just can't get enough tax talk? Ms. Harchenko answers additional questions about Oregon revenue here.
