Governor Continues to Stall on Signing Tax Bills

OREGON REPUBLICAN PARTY (ORP) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 7/14/2009 - Fifteen days and counting that Governor Kulongoski has denied Oregonians their Constitutional rights to the referendum process ∴ PORTLAND, Ore. – Since the Legislature adjourned Sine Die on Monday June 29th, the Governor has found time to sign 52 bills, but has not signed HB 2649, the massive income tax increase or HB 3405, the job-killing permanent tax increase on Oregon businesses.

“Democrats in Salem, who were in a hurry to pass these huge, job-killing tax increases, are now ‘running out the clock’ on the 90-day period granted to Oregonians to collect the more than 55,000 signatures necessary to refer these unpopular new taxes to the voters. As of today, the Governor’s delay has taken 15 valuable days away from Oregonians who want to exercise their Constitutional rights,” Oregon Republican Party Chairman Bob Tiernan said today.

In the meantime, the Governor has taken the time to sign 52 bills since the Legislature adjourned, including House Bill 3508, signed on July 1st, which overturns the will of Oregonians and delays the implementation of Measure 57. In addition, one of the first bills Governor Kulongoski signed after adjournment was Senate Bill 519 on June 30th which limits employers’ ability to organize company-wide meetings. According to the Salem Statesman Journal, Senate Bill 519 was “a top priority for labor unions.”

“First the Democrats traded state funds for votes to pass these taxes, then they tried to make a mockery of Oregon’s referendum system by turning a NO vote into a YES vote and now the Governor is demonstrating where his real priorities lie, with liberal special interests and the labor unions and not the people of Oregon,” Chairman Tiernan continued.

“I wrote Governor Kulongoski on July 2nd and urged him to sign the tax bills and allow Oregonians their Constitutional rights to participate in the political process. I have received no response from the Governor, but now see he has been busy enacting the labor unions’ agenda and overturning the will of the Oregon voters. Governor, as you have said you would, sign the bills and grant the people of Oregon their Constitutional rights to participate in the referendum process,” Chairman Tiernan concluded.

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