Increasing revenue works in Oregon, but how about cutting spending?

Yesterday, Meaures 66 and 67 passed in Oregon. The measures will raise $730 million to fill in a shortfall in the state’s 2009-2011 biennial budget for education, health care and public safety by raising personal income taxes for individuals earning more than $125,000 and increasing corporate taxes on all businesses, except sole proprietorships.

Another way Oregon may consider cutting spending is to cut some taxpayer-funded lobbying, the use of public money by a government entity to lobby another government for money. One report places the amount of money spent nationally on taxpayer-funded lobbying at $1 trillion each year.

Some local governments have come to realize this. Jackson County has recently decided to leave the Association of Oregon Counties. With dues at $31,000 a year, an inability to dictate the lobbying prioties to pursue, and rampant inefficiency, it makes sense that the county would want to step back and localize its decisions.

Here’s hoping Oregon survives the budget crises that have been so common lately around the country.