6 media swipes at Kotek’s gas tax/wage tax gamble

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

#1. The Willamette Week touted a critic that was exposing the bad budget numbers used by ODOT, “ODOT’s numbers are a bogus and deceptive sales technique,” Cortright insists.U.S. Census Bureau data supports his contention. An OJP analysis of five recent years’ spending figures show that Oregon falls roughly in the middle of the other six states cited by ODOT: California, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana (see graph below).”

#2. OPB ran this critical headline,

#3. The Oregonian notes the very suspect missing amounts of how much the gas tax/wage tax would raise,”With just days left until the session begins on Aug. 29, top Democrats haven’t said exactly how much revenue the plan would generate, beyond saying it would prevent layoffs and other cuts at the Oregon Department of Transportation. The revenue would also help cities, counties and public transit districts maintain their services.”

#4. The Oregon Capitol Chronicle spoke on how Kotek’s gas tax plan may be a lose-lose trap, “Proposals floated (and never passed) during the session were blasted statewide as becoming the biggest tax increase in Oregon history, enough at least to make a strong campaign slogan. The non-passage of a transportation funding measure already has resulted in hundreds of announced layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation, but revenue plans — which mean significant increases in taxes and fees, some of which have been proposed by the governor — are sure to remain highly controversial.Anyone thinking of challenging Kotek is surely looking at attaching that special session to her, and that could be true whether or not the legislators do what the governor wants them to do. If they rebuff her, she’d be dinged as ineffective. If she gets what she’s asking for, the fallout could be greater.”

#5. Oregon Capitol Insider noted the harsh criticism from Republicans, “We’re getting a bill crammed down our throats on Labor Day weekend with the narrative that it was all our fault that it didn’t pass to begin with. And that Tina is working every day to make this happen and the least we can do is show up on Labor Day,” 

#6. Oregon’s #1 biggest media voice in radio, Lars Larson, blasted Kotek this week on his show: ” Kotek is like that nightmare contractor who doesn’t get the job done on time…and then demands more money or he’s walking away to leave you with the mess. In the meantime, check ODOT’s job postings. Two of them jumped out at me…Project Delivery administrator 3…a paper pusher and the gig lets you work from home. Salary, up to a quarter million a year. Director of External Affairs (whatever that is). Salary up to 200 grand…both plus benefits, generous vacation and a PERS pension.So, ODOT is still hiring for the white collar jobs…even while it pleads poverty to fund the paychecks of blue collar folks who do the jobs we care about most.”

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