and I cursed the new taxes as I saw the increase in food prices today at the Lloyd Center. Hasn't changed in at least a year, and after the tax, voila, 1 dollar increase in Chicken Kabob's. Coincidence? or Chance? /shrug either way, I'm now paying more money for the same shit, the cost of this new business tax appears to now be passed onto the consumer.
Seriously? You really want to go with your kabobs price went up a dollar because of a corporate tax increase that passed last week? OK....
Here's to hoping that some Portland area business's move to Vancouver because of this tax, but the people stay on the Oregon side of the river!
Why couldn't it? Do you know the reason why they spontaneously rose in price when they haven't been changed for a year or more? You could argue inflation, possible but highly unlikely in this economy, you could also argue that they weren't meeting their numbers, but then you have to ask yourself, why would any business raise the price suddenly of a product? To make more money, and why? Because they're spending more money, and why are they spending more money? Because they are being taxed more money. I mean my argument is not a long shot. It's definitely something I will think about now when I see the menu prices go up on smaller businesses that I frequent. Why do you think it can't be the new tax imposed on businesses for the reason of product increases?
I don't have a state job. I pay taxes, and, not having kids, I consume very little in services. Your tax bill is lower because I exist. barfo
Factless, fluff. The wsj couldn't even find Oregon on a map, let alone have any insight into how our economy operates our why our citizens vote for certain things and not for others. Stating "It's not often that citizens vote for higher taxes" demonstrates they are completely ignorant of how our political system works, since the great majority of tax increases are approved when they make it to the ballot. All raises in taxes are voted on by citizens, or their elected representatives. In Oregon, the voters often start the process themselves with a ballot initiative.
Because a $1/kabob price increase is inconsistent with the amount of the tax, unless you are the only one who buys kabobs from them. If they'd raised prices by a fraction of a penny, then you'd have a decent circumstantial case that it was due to the tax increase. barfo
If every price increase soon after the tax vote is due to the tax, then every raise in wages must be due to it too. So everyone in private industry who gets a raise in the next few months should get down on their knees and thank the tax collectors. I prayed to them at last night's church service, right before we bled the cow.
This is the greatest danger from this tax. Any effect it has on raising prices will be so tiny that we'll all have to cut pennies into fractions of a cent, which could tear my trousers pockets.
The problem is it's the ONLY thing you seem to be thinking about. How much do you think your kabob place is going to pay in extra taxes per year?
C'mon Blazer Hippie, just a little bit more... My issue with the two measures is that they weren't taxes as much as a wealth transfer. The whole pitch was, "You won't have to pay for it, someone else will." I'm in favor of tax progressivity, but if I were Grand Poohbah of Oregon with unlimited dictatorial powers, I would make any tax increase shared by everyone, even if it were just a dollar a month for those on the lowest end of the tax-paying spectrum. Only when everyone sees the tax is it a fair one. Taxing people just because some politician thinks they make "too much" is nothing more than legalized theft.
I guess I don't see the moral argument that people are making "too much" anywhere. I don't think that at all. I don't dislike high income people... I also don't really see it as a "wealth transfer"...except maybe to people enrolled in PERS...I sure don't see any of the money... I'm sure they considered how they could craft a measure that had a chance of passing...the way was to focus on higher income tax payers and business. I think this is a function of the referendum that required tax increase measures to be referred to a vote, right? I think more "fair" tax measures could be crafted in the legislature but they aren't likely to pass because they'll hit everyone...so in order to secure required funding they have to write measures that aren't as fair that have a chance to pass... that's why the original referendum requiring a public vote was short-sighted.
