Today in Oregon, we have an important vote on whether to increase taxes for household incomes of over $250,000 (affecting only 3% of Oregonians) and eliminate income taxes on unemployment benefits (affecting a whooping 270,000 jobless Oregonians). The second ballot measure would raise the minimum business tax from a 1931 rate of $10 to a sliding scale of 1/10 of 1% of Oregon sales. You may ask, why raise taxes in a recession? Exactly, this would help fill a severe funding gap due to a drastic downturn in household incomes and generated income taxes. For obvious reasons, I am in favor of funding public schools and providing basic services to those in need. 


Yet, contrary to my Republican Hubby's belief, I am not a thoughtless "tax and spend liberal." I'm not voting yes just because we aren't in this tax bracket. I agree that this vote is just a Band-Aid approach. 


As a kid, I remember being happy that we didn't have a statewide sales tax; only having to calculate it when visiting family in California. But despite the convenience, I've come to realize that we desperately need statewide (and national) tax reform.

• Eliminate Income Taxes - Why tax people's livelihoods?
• Carbon Taxes - Let's tax our carbon impact
• Sliding Scale - Even FDR agreed "Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay."

A new green tax system would help reduce environmental impacts without hindering our economic productivity. I think the deeper impact would be psychological, as more families would really contemplate the power of their wallet on the planet.

How would you like to see our taxes shift?

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Sustainable Family Finances

The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.