Thank You for Voting NO on 118 to Defeat the Costly Tax on Sales.

For Immediate Release
Nov. 5, 2024
Press@NOonMeasure118.com

Oregonians Reject Costly Tax on Sales

Voters (again) overwhelmingly oppose gross receipts tax at the ballot

Oregonians have said “no” to the biggest tax increase in Oregon history. By an overwhelming margin, voters rejected Measure 118, which would have increased the cost of necessities, harmed family businesses and reduced opportunities for hard-working Oregonians.

“Today, Oregon voters stood with the businesses, unions and elected leaders who came together to fight a cynical effort to pass a destructive tax by dangling the empty promise of free money,” said Angela Wilhelms, chair of the Defeat the Costly Tax on Sales campaign and president and CEO of Oregon Business & Industry.  “Oregonians are smart, they know bad policy when they see it, and they’ve said – yet again – that they’re in no mood for higher taxes.”

This is the second time in less than a decade that voters have rejected a regressive gross receipts tax. In 2016, 59% of voters opposed Measure 97. The rejection of Measure 118 was even more emphatic, with over 70% of voters in opposition.

The effort to defeat Measure 118 enjoyed tremendous momentum from the start and involved a large coalition that included businesses, organized labor, think tanks, chambers of commerce, nonprofits, and a multipartisan group of state and local elected officials and many others.

“The size and diversity of our coalition show just how flawed Measure 118 was,” said Wilhelms. “But defeating even flawed ballot measures requires a huge amount of work and financial support. The many businesses and organizations that helped spread the message deserve a great deal of credit. So do the elected leaders who joined our coalition early.”

Led by Oregon Business & Industry, the coalition ran a comprehensive, fact-based campaign that helped voters understand why the measure’s enormous tax on sales would have been bad for all Oregonians. The campaign amplified the voices of small business owners, farmers, physicians and many others, who explained how the measure would increase their costs and force them either to pass them along to their customers or reduce access to important services. The information shared by the NO on Measure 118 campaign clearly resonated with voters.

“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the effort to defeat Measure 118,” said Wilhelms. “Tonight, however, I especially want to thank Oregon voters for exercising their good judgment and saying ‘no’ to a radical and costly experiment.”