February 12th is the birthday of America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. While the Taxpayer Association of Oregon, with the help of the Oregon Republican Party, plans to use the occasion to bring their anti-tax and anti-government message to the Capitol in Salem, the Oregon Center for Public Policy reminds them and all Oregonians that the GOP’s first president also signed America’s first income tax.

The first lesson in Oregon Corporate Taxes 101: if you’re paying them, get a new accountant. About two thirds of Oregon’s corporations, or 23,000 corporations, pay just the $10 corporate minimum tax.

Almost one-third of Oregon households will not receive any tax reduction under the Bush Administration’s proposal to accelerate previously enacted tax cuts and exempt dividends from personal income taxes, according to a study released today by the Washington, D.C.-based Citizens for Tax Justice (CTJ).

Oregonians are beginning to receive their W-2 forms from their employers and tax forms from the state and federal revenue agencies, marking the beginning of another tax season.

As President Bush unveils an “economic stimulus” plan that is being criticized for lowering the taxes primarily of the wealthiest, a new study was released today showing that over the past decade the share of taxes paid by low- and middle-income households in Oregon has risen, while taxes paid by affluent households has dropped. The study, by the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), reconfirmed a report issued two years ago by the Legislative Revenue Office that showed Oregon’s tax system is basically regressive, with upper-income households paying less in taxes than those at the bottom as a percent of income.

Governor Ted Kulongoski recently unveiled his budget plan – deep cuts to most state services and no new revenues. Defending the spartan and shrinking budget, Kulongoski argued “we can’t solve our state budget crisis if we can’t get the economy moving again.” Since nothing he or his administration does can “get the economy moving again,” the new Governor has inadvertently, but unnecessarily, resigned himself to failure before he starts.

Measure 28 is a temporary income tax increase that the Legislature referred to the voters as a way to avoid additional cuts to the state budget. Weighing further budget cuts to education, public safety, and programs for the poor and elderly against tax increases is a difficult proposition for many voters. Opponents argue that Measure 28 will interfere with Oregon’s economic recovery.