Democrats kill bills to create 42,500 Oregon jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 4/21/2009 from Senator Ted Ferrioli and Representative Bruce Hanna - DEMOCRATS TERMINATE JOB CREATION BILLS FOR 2009 SESSION: As Key Committee Deadline Passes, Job Creation Bills Left Off the Table

SALEM—With Oregon’s unemployment rate skyrocketing past 12 percent, Democratic leadership has terminated several bills that would have created tens of thousands of jobs and put more dollars back into the state’s struggling economy. Because leadership refused to advance the bills before committee deadlines, the job creation measures are effectively dead for the 2009 session.

“As thousands of Oregonians lose their jobs, Democratic leaders have given pink-slips to bills that would have created jobs, empowered small businesses, and given working families greater relief during this economic recession,” said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “Oregon’s future is at stake, yet Democratic leaders decided to spend more time on bills to increase regulations on businesses and raise taxes on the Oregonians fortunate enough to still have jobs.”

Among the job-creation bills Democratic leaders and committee chairs have terminated this session:

SB 704: Reduce income tax withholding tables by 4.2% to immediately put $100 million back into Oregonian’s paychecks and create 2,500 jobs, without costing government a penny.

HB 3095: Implement the Main Street Incentive Program to encourage home and business owners to engage in capital improvement projects, creating 6,000 new jobs.

SJR 24: Direct state agencies to immediately facilitate implementation of the Western Oregon Plan Revisions, which would create 15,000 new jobs.

HB 3469: Establish a personal income tax credit of $500 per dependent child, and reduce personal income tax rates for low income Oregonians by modifying income tax brackets, which would create over 19,000 jobs.

“It’s frustrating that this Legislature has spent more time debating puppy mills and snack machines in teachers’ lounges than bills to create jobs,” said House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg). “While terminating Republican ideas for job creation, Democratic leaders have kept alive bills that do nothing to improve our economy or help our businesses survive and rehire workers. The Legislature’s inaction on job creation will prolong the state’s recession and make our eventual recovery less robust.”

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CONTACTS:
Michael Gay (Ferrioli) 503.986.1950 or Nick Smith (Hanna) 503.986.1351