Oregon Votes Show Public Will Support New Revenue to Avoid Further Cuts to Core Services
Wednesday, January 27
The Rebuilding Our Economic Future Coalition, a broad and growing coalition of more than 100 organizations - including SEIU Healthcare 775NW - that is opposed to further deep cuts to core services and is urging legislators in Olympia to seriously consider new revenue options, issued the following statement today in response to the easy passage last night of two new revenue measures in Oregon:
"Last night, voters in Oregon loudly and clearly affirmed that the path to preserving our long-term economic future is to avoid unconscionable cuts to health care, education and other core services by raising revenue. They easily passed two measures that will raise $730 million in new revenue from high-income individuals and corporations in order to avoid devastating budget cuts that would have undermined the state's economic security and future competitiveness.
“The Oregon results should have a major impact on ongoing budget discussions here in Washington State. Oregon voters are a lot like Washington voters – we both recognize that deep cuts to health care and education would be devastating to those hit hardest by the recession, would destroy our quality of life, and would hurt our ability to rebuild the economy.
“Washington lawmakers should take a lesson from Oregon voters and stop cuts to seniors, kids and those hit hardest by the recession by closing tax loopholes and raising substantial new revenue. The Oregon vote demonstrates that lawmakers who stand against deep cuts to health care, education and other core services will be backed by the public for demonstrating leadership in dealing with the current economic downturn in a responsible way.”
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The Rebuilding Our Economic Future Coalition is a coalition of more than 100 organizations representing health care, education, environment, housing, and anti-poverty organizations calling on legislators in Olympia to avoid deep cuts and protect our economic future by raising new revenue during the 2010 legislative session. For more information, visit
www.oureconomicfuture.org