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Measure 97
Increases corporate minimum tax when sales exceed $25 million; funds education, healthcare, senior services
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 808,310 40.97%
No 1,164,658 59.03%
Total votes 1,972,968 100.00%
Results by county
Source: Oregon Secretary of State[1]

Oregon Ballot Measure 97 was a ballot measure in the 2016 election in the U.S. state of Oregon. The initiative asked voters to determine whether or not to impose a 2.5 percent gross receipts tax on C corporations with Oregon sales exceeding $25 million.[2][3] S corporations and benefit companies (companies that benefit society and the environment, as determined under state law) would be exempt from the tax.[4][5] It was estimated the measure would raise $3 billion annually for the state, if passed.[6]

The nonpartisan Oregon Legislative Revenue Office determined that of the some 250,000 businesses registered in Oregon, 951 would be subject to the tax; of these, the hundred largest taxpayers would pay about two-thirds of the monies raised. The same report estimated that wholesale companies in Oregon would see their taxes grow by almost $600 million, a 583 percent increase. Taxes on Oregon retailers would increase by $535 million, a 766 percent jump. Health care firms operating in Oregon would experience a 1,211 percent increase in their taxes, adding almost $100 million per year to the cost of health care across the state.[7]

During the state's general election held in November 2016, Oregon voters defeated the measure 59 percent (opposed) to 41 percent.[1]

Support and opposition[edit]

Listing in the 2016 voters' pamphlet

The campaigns for and against the ballot measure raised the most money ever over a ballot measure in Oregon.[8][9] By the week before Election Day, combined fundraising for the two campaigns had reached $40 million.[10] Opponents of the measure outspent proponents of the measure; the anti-Measure 97 campaign, the Defeat the Tax on Oregon Sales Committee, raised almost $26 million, while the pro-Measure 97 committee Yes on 97 raised $14 million.[10] A separate pro-Measure 97 group, Defend Oregon, also raised funds in support of the measure's passage.[10][11]

The major supporters of the Measure 97 were labor unions, and in particular the Oregon Education Association, the state's primary teachers' union,[12] which contributed a total of $2.1 million to the campaign in support of Measure 97.[10] The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503, which is "the largest union representing Oregon state government workers", gave almost $3 million to the pro-Measure 97 campaign.[10] The American Federation of Teachers and the Oregon American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees also contributed to the pro-Measure 97 campaign.[11]

Major corporations mostly opposed the law.[12] Companies and trade associations that contributed to the campaign against the measure include, among others, Amazon.com, General Motors, Kroger/Fred Meyer,[12] J.P. Morgan Chase, Wal-Mart,[10] Costco, Safeway/Albertsons,[7] the Oregon Association of Realtors, Jive Software, Comcast, Pacific Seafood, and the Craft Brew Alliance.[11]

Governor Kate Brown, a Democrat, supported the measure, while Brown's opponent in the 2016 gubernatorial election, Republican nominee William C. "Bud" Pierce, opposed the measure.[12]

Polling[edit]

A poll conducted by DHM Research during September 1–6 showed 60 percent of respondents were in favor of Measure 97, with 30 percent opposed. Another poll conducted by icitizen during September 2–7 found that 59 percent of 610 respondents were in favor of the measure passing, with 21 percent opposed. However, support decreased to 40 percent and opposition increased to 31 percent after participants heard arguments against Measure 97. The poll's margin of error was 4 percent.[13]

Vote tallies by county:

County No Votes Yes Votes Total
Baker 75.35 6,574 24.65 2,151 8,725
Benton 48.32 23,163 51.68 24,770 47,933
Clackamas 63.79 134,595 36.21 76,409 211,004
Clatsop 57.91 11,205 42.09 8,143 19,348
Columbia 68.08 17,958 31.92 8,419 26,377
Coos 68.84 21,396 31.16 9,686 31,082
Crook 80.16 9,736 19.84 2,409 12,145
Curry 60.32 7,438 39.68 4,893 12,331
Deschutes 66.14 64,682 33.86 33,116 97,798
Douglas 75.39 40,075 24.61 13,075 53,150
Gilliam 83.19 866 16.81 175 1,041
Grant 78.42 3,354 21.58 923 4,277
Harney 79.13 3,143 20.87 829 3,972
Hood River 50.78 5,489 49.22 5,320 10,809
Jackson 62.02 66,885 38.98 40,958 107,843
Jefferson 74.99 7,050 25.01 2,351 9,401
Josephine 66.37 29,184 33.63 14,786 43,970
Klamath 74.59 22,591 25.41 7,696 30,287
Lake 77.94 3,031 22.06 858 3,889
Lane 52.58 99,759 47.42 89,955 189,714
Lincoln 54.86 13,702 45.14 11,276 24,978
Linn 72.01 41,935 27.99 16,296 58,231
Malheur 69.57 7,088 30.43 3,101 10,189
Marion 65.28 88,569 34.72 47,099 135,668
Morrow 76.70 3,184 23.30 967 4,151
Multnomah 42.93 167,422 57.07 222,576 389,998
Polk 64.53 25,833 35.47 14,201 40,034
Sherman 88.96 911 11.04 113 1,024
Tillamook 64.69 8,851 35.31 4,832 13,683
Umatilla 66.74 18,063 33.26 8,999 27,062
Union 72.59 9,289 27.41 3,508 12,797
Wallowa 69.79 3,020 30.21 1,307 4,327
Wasco 67.19 7,943 32.81 3,879 11,822
Washington 59.11 156,510 40.89 108,253 264,763
Wheeler 78.68 646 21.32 175 821
Yamhill 69.36 33,518 30.64 14,806 48,324

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Specific
  1. ^ a b "Results: 2016 General Election, November 8, 2016". Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  2. ^ "Measure 97: Explanatory Statement" (PDF). Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  3. ^ Borrud, Hillary (August 17, 2016). "FAQ: Oregon's corporate tax measure is a big deal. Here's why". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  4. ^ "Measure 97 Description and Analysis", p. 3
  5. ^ Katy Sword, Strange bedfellows: Measure 97 and the benefit company exemption, Oregon Business (November 1, 2016).
  6. ^ Selsky, Andrew (October 23, 2016). "What's The Most Expensive Political Battle In Oregon? Measure 97". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on November 3, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Rogoway, Mike (October 28, 2016). "Measure 97 FAQ: How the tax would work, who would pay, where the money goes". The Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  8. ^ Kish, Matthew (October 24, 2016). "Measure 97 now costliest in Oregon history". Portland Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  9. ^ Achen, Paris (October 21, 2016). "Measure 97 breaks fundraising record". Portland Tribune. Pamplin Media Group. OCLC 46708462. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Mapes, Jeff (November 2, 2016). "Measure 97 Campaign Hits $40 Million Mark After Last-Minute Contributions". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  11. ^ a b c Borrud, Hillary (October 5, 2016). "Opponents of corporate tax measure report raising $16.8 million". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d Johnson, Kirk (September 8, 2016). "Measure 97, Seeking to Raise Corporate Taxes, Splits Oregon Voters". The New York Times. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  13. ^ Achen, Paris (September 13, 2016). "Poll: Support for Measure 97 erodes when voters hear pros/cons". Portland Tribune. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
General
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Ballot_Measure_97_(2016)

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