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<font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"><b><big>We are <u>82</u>% of
the way
to getting two crucial campaign finance reform measures on Oregon’s
November ballot. Your help <u>now</u> can make it happen!</big></b></font><font
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<b>and give us your mailing address</b> and the number of signature
sheets you want (spaces for 10 signatures per sheet). Be ambitious;
ask for many sheets. This is the best way to go. </font><font
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click on "Create Your Petition Packet" in the left column. If you do
this, YOU MUST PRINT THE "COVER SHEET" <u>ON THE BACK</u> OF THE
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the the Oregon Sierra Club, Alliance for
Democracy, OSPIRG, and many others--to make
history by getting real campaign finance reform in Oregon.</u></b></font><br>
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<h1 class="red" align="center">CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM</h1>
<div class="subhead"> </div>
<div class="byln">Monday, April 24,
2006<br>
by Dan Meek<br>
</div>
<p><big> <b><big>End corporate control of Oregon's politics</big>
</b> </big></p>
<p><big><b>O</b></big>regon is one of only five states in the
country with no
limits on political campaign contributions in state and
local races. The result? Corporate money dominates politics
in Oregon. </p>
<p>Campaign contributions from corporations consistently exceed
those from labor unions by 5 to 1 and massively overwhelm
all other groups and causes put together, including those
seeking better health care, environmental protection, human
and civil rights, living-wage jobs, consumer protection,
fair taxes and school funding. </p>
<p>Consider the numbers: Corporations pushed up the total
reported spending on candidate races in Oregon from $4.2
million in 1996 to $42 million in 2002. Candidates for seats
in the Oregon Legislature spent $3.5 million in 1996, but
$18 million in 2004. And 75 percent of that money came from
only 1 percent of the contributors. It now typically costs
more than $500,000 to win a contested seat in the Oregon
Senate and more than $250,000 to win such a seat in the
Oregon House of Representatives. </p>
<p>In Senate contests, the candidate spending the most money
won 87 percent of the races in 2002 and 94 percent of the
races in 2004. In House contests, the candidate spending the
most money won 92 percent of the races in 2002 and 90
percent of the races in 2004. </p>
<p>Corporate contributions in Oregon are so huge that Tom DeLay
wouldn't even be noticed. DeLay has been accused of
illegally channeling $190,000 of corporate money into races
for the Texas Legislature. That would be legal in Oregon; it
would also be insignificant, constituting far less than 1
percent of the corporate money pumped into our legislative
races in the last two cycles. </p>
<p>It's the same story in the governor's race.
Gubernatorial candidates in 2002 raised and spent more than
$15 million, more than double the old record. Each
major-party candidate spent more than $4 million. Their cash
from corporations was joined by huge donations from rich
business executives. </p>
<p>The result? Big political spenders get what they want from
Oregon government. Taxes are just one example. The Council
on State Taxation reports that Oregon ranks 50th -- dead
last -- among all the states in business taxes per dollar of
economic activity. If you also include all local taxes,
Oregon ranks 47th. </p>
<p>In 1975, corporations paid more than 18 percent of
Oregon's income taxes; now they pay about 4 percent and
are heading lower. They got a 36 percent cut to their 2005
Oregon income taxes because of the "kicker" law,
which is expected to reduce their 2007 income taxes by 54
percent. Half of these cuts will go to just 50 large
corporations. </p>
<p>Instead, Oregon taxes the working poor: Oregon has the
second-highest income taxes in the country for a family of
four living at 125 percent of the poverty line. Oregon ranks
No. 1 in share of state taxes paid by individuals vs.
businesses. </p>
<p>Utility regulation is another example. The Oregon Public
Utility Commission refuses to make PGE return any of the
$800 million that it has charged Oregon ratepayers since
1997 for "federal and state income taxes" that
have never been paid. This practice by Oregon's
"regulated" private utilities continues right now
-- at more than $120 million per year in phony charges for
"income taxes." Why? The PUC is appointed by
politicians, and PGE/Enron has contributed more than
$500,000 to candidates from 1998 to 2004. </p>
<p>What Oregon needs is statewide campaign finance reform.
Initiative petitions are now circulating in the state that
would provide campaign contribution limits, including bans
on corporate contributions -- as they do in 21 other states
-- and limits on individual contributions in candidate
races. </p>
<p>Oregonians need to loosen the corporate grip on our
political process. </p>
<p>Dan Meek is a public-interest attorney living in Southwest
Portland. Find out more about campaign finance reform online
at <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="http://www.fairelections.net">www.fairelections.net</a> or by
calling 1-800-939-8011. </p>
<br clear="all">
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<center class="seccopy">©2006 The Oregonian</center>
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