Voters in Oregon raise taxes to pay for public services

Oregon voters, who have rejected tax increases since 1990, passed a ballot measure on Tuesday to raise income taxes for households earning more than $250,000 and individuals earning more than $125,000 a year. A second ballot measure raised the income tax on corporations.

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the tax increases will raise $700 million to help close the state's budget gap and prevent early school closings, teacher lay-offs, and cuts to healthcare benefits.

Joel Connelly, a columnist for SeattlePI.com, says "The tax increases aren't that onerous despite wailing and gnashing of teeth on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. Oregon did not really soak the rich, just asked that they shower regularly."