2003 Oregon Ballot Measure 28

none April 2018 Measure 28 was a ballot measure, referred by the legislature of the U.S. state of Oregon in 2003. It would have created a temporary one-percent increase in Oregon's income tax. The tax was proposed as a way to overcome deficits to the state budget. The measure was defeated in the January 28, 2003 special election with 575,846 votes in favor, 676,312 votes against.https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf ITEMIZED MEASURE LISTINGS, January 28, 2003, Special Election on page 17 November 21, 2018 October 3, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20251003191748/https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf dead Budget problems, high unemployment, rising healthcare and pension costs, dominated Oregon's 2002–2003 biennium. To make up for lost revenue from medicaid financing and a tobacco settlement that helped balance the budget in previous years. the legislature approved a mixture of budget cuts and referred Measure 28 to a vote of the people.Public NewsRoom The referral was marred by controversy as Democratic governor John Kitzhaber objected to the Republican-controlled legislature's omission of the cuts that would result from the measure's failure in the ballot title (the summary of the measure provided to voters). Supporters of the measure blamed the ballot title omission for the defeat of the measure.Public NewsRoom Proponents of the measure felt it was the only way to avoid proposed spending cuts to programs such as education and help for the elderly and mentally ill.Special Election Voters' Pamphlet Measure 28 Arguments in Favor and Opposition Opponents, many part of the Oregon tax revolt, felt that increasing taxes would prolong the recession, and that the state should live within its means. Cuts in the wake of Measure 28's defeat seemed to vindicate proponents' arguments. The day after Measure 28's defeat, Multnomah County released 144 inmates from the county jail and laid off 175 Sheriff's deputies.Public NewsRoom Some fiscal conservatives felt that wasteful spending was more to blame than the tax defeat. Nonetheless, the high percentage of "yes" votes in the Portland metro area inspired local governments in that region to bring their own temporary tax increases to the ballot. A year later, voters defeated a similar measure, Measure 30. thumb|260px|Results by county: #dedebd No #dedebd 50–60% #BCBC83 60–70% #8B8B54 70–80% #B6C8D9 Yes #B6C8D9 50–60% To fix the issue, the state was forced to then cut back medicaid coverage and cut hundreds of millions in programs such as prisons, schools, social services. Because of the cuts, Many prisoners were released early, and many seniors lost medicaid coverage. They also raised tobacco taxes, implemented fees on nursing facilities to generate revenue, as well as a federal stimulus that helped preserve parts of the Oregon Health Plan. See also List of Oregon ballot measures References External links Oregon Voters' Pamphlet Measure 28 from Oregon State Library Digital Collection—includes ballot title, text of the measure, and arguments for and against 2003 28