The Industry’s VOTE Matters!

A Message from AGC’s Executive Director

Oregon voters begin receiving their ballots this week…

The 2016 election cycle has been unlike any other. From House and Senate races to statewide races and initiative referrals, we are being inundated with television ads, mailers, Facebook posts…everything!

Of particular interest to AGC and our industry at large, are Ballot Measures 97 and 98.

Ballot Measure 97 amounts to the largest proposed tax increase in Oregon’s history. If approved by voters, it would generate $6 billion in new taxes on the sales of products and services Oregonians buy every day, and would grow state government revenues by 33%. It would do so by imposing a 2.5% gross receipts tax on C-corporations with revenues above $25 million.

Independent state economists have cited damaging impacts to the construction industry including an estimate that corporate taxes paid directly by construction firms would increase five-fold. If this tax had been in place in 2013, construction firms would have paid $64 million in taxes as opposed to the $12.7 million paid under the existing tax system.

Because of this, we encourage our members—both as individuals and/or businesses—to oppose Measure 97 and to actively engage either as individuals or businesses in the opposition campaign. More information on engagement and making financial contributions can be found here.

Learn more about Measure 97 here.

Contrary to the negative impact Measure 97 would have on our industry, AGC is proud to support Ballot Measure 98 that would put vocational and career technical education back into Oregon’s high schools.

Oregon urgently needs to develop a bigger and better pipeline of skilled, trained workers for the construction industry.

When you combine the current retirement rate of baby boomers (who make up a majority of Oregon’s construction workforce) with the need to add skilled workers to our industry, Oregon alone will need to add over 23,000 skilled workers by the year 2020.

Ballot Measure 98 will help restore and expand vocational and career technical education and college prep classes in all Oregon high schools, and will fund more career and college counseling for students.

Let’s make sure voters hear from people in our industry: Add your name and/or your business’ name to Measure 98’s list of supporters and encourage your employees, subcontractors, and clients to support Measure 98.

Learn more about Measure 98 here.

We respect the fact that you may or may not agree with our position. We simply hope you will study the facts about these measures carefully—and be sure to vote.

We are always stronger when we come together as an industry. This election is proving to be a time when our collective force as an industry can make a substantial difference in the future of our state.

Thank you for all you do for Oregon.

Sincerely,

Mike Salsgiver
Executive Director
AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter