With two weeks left until Election Day, backers of a proposal to are stepping up their efforts to make a case to voters.
Following a $250,000 donation from a wealthy donor last week, the campaign backing Ballot Measure 118 began airing ads on sites like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram over the weekend.
鈥淚鈥檓 voting yes on Measure 118 because it will rebate $1,600 to every Oregonian every year and $6,400 for my family,鈥� a woman says in one of the ads. Another features the same woman, an actress who in Minnesota, disputing arguments made by opponents of the measure.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tax cut for Oregonians, not a sales tax,鈥� she says.
The ads come relatively late in the election cycle 鈥� well after most voters have received their ballot and as Oregonians have been pounded for weeks with messaging from the other side.
Corporations opposing Measure 118 have spent almost $12 million attacking it, ensuring voters around the state have been inundated with dire warnings about the measure鈥檚 impacts in their mailboxes, television screens and devices.
鈥淢easure 118 would impose a massive $6.8 billion tax on sales in Oregon with no exemptions,鈥� one of the ads says. 鈥淗ow much would 118 increase your family鈥檚 costs?鈥�
Oregon Public Broadcasting is a member of Oregon Business & Industry, a lobbying group that is running the campaign against the ballot measure, though OPB鈥檚 membership expires Oct. 31, and OPB does not plan to renew. OPB does not have any active role in that campaign.
Antonio Gisbert, one of the authors of Measure 118 and its chief petitioner, said Tuesday he thinks the flood of messaging from opponents could backfire.
鈥淭hey are absolutely trying to flood the field with ads,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom talking to voters, folks are seeing through the opposition鈥檚 ads. What鈥檚 the Shakespeare line?
Measure 118 has emerged as the hardest-fought ballot measure Oregon is seeing this year, though much of that fighting is being done by the 鈥渘o鈥� side. With five- and six-figure checks pouring in from big companies around the country, the campaign has amassed more than $15 million 鈥� far more than the $640,000 so far reported by proponents.
The measure would add a 3% tax on businesses鈥� Oregon sales above $25 million, then divvy up the money raised among the state鈥檚 more than 4 million residents, no matter their age. One analysis by state revenue officials suggests the measure could result in payments of around $1,600 to every Oregonian, though an exact number isn鈥檛 known.
Proponents like Gisbert argue that large corporations are paying far too little in taxes in Oregon. They say the measure is an inventive way to redistribute corporate wealth to residents who need it more, and argue it will slash poverty and boost the state鈥檚 economy as people spend their annual payments. The measure bears some resemblance to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which sends residents an annual check from money the state reaps from oil.
State analysts say the measure would virtually eliminate state taxes owed by people who make less than $40,000 and ensure they receive money from the state instead.
Opponents argue that large businesses forced to pay the tax will simply pass it on to their customers, raising prices in Oregon and inspiring some businesses to cease operation here.
State revenue officials have estimated that the tax would increase prices by 1.3% by 2030 and slightly slow employment growth. Opponents say the impacts would be more pronounced.
Measure 118 is opposed by a broad spectrum of organizations and officials for a variety of reasons.
Businesses dislike the specter of new taxes.
Labor unions and politicians in both parties are worried the measure could lead to far less general fund revenue for the state 鈥� an outcome predicted by Oregon鈥檚 Legislative Revenue Office. Measure 118 supporters, meanwhile, say they believe the measure is revenue-neutral and that they would work with lawmakers to make sure it doesn鈥檛 impact the state budget.
Some local progressive groups that support the idea of the government offering regular basic income payments to ease poverty oppose the measure because it would also send payments to wealthy Oregonians.
That opposition has meant that Measure 118 supporters have received much of their financial backing from out of state. California entrepreneur Josh Jones, who made a fortune in cryptocurrency, has given the campaign $930,000 to date 鈥� including $250,000 last week.
Jones, where he hosted an 鈥渁sk me anything鈥� post about his support for Measure 118.
In a video on that post, Jones compared the tax to the tariffs the federal government slaps on imported goods. He said he wouldn鈥檛 back the idea if the new tax money was going to the state government, but sending payments directly to Oregonians intrigued him.
鈥淯nlike some people, I think it鈥檚 okay that there are billionaires,鈥� said Jones, making clear that he is not a billionaire himself. 鈥淚 just think that it鈥檚 not okay that there are non-millionaires. I just want everybody to have a nice base level of wealth.鈥�
Jones called his involvement in the campaign an 鈥渙utside bet.鈥�
鈥淚 just think it would be amazing if $6 billion a year got distributed to all the residents of Oregon,鈥� he said, adding that his college roommate lives in Lake Oswego. 鈥淚 like Oregon.鈥�
This story comes from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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