72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 2159
 
                        House Memorial 5
 
Sponsored by Representative KNOPP; Representatives DALTO, FARR,
  GARRARD, KRIEGER, KROPF, PATRIDGE, G SMITH, P SMITH, T SMITH
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Urges Oregon Congressional Delegation to work to repeal death
tax.
 
                         HOUSE MEMORIAL
To the members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation:
  We, your memorialists, the House of Representatives of the
State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
represent as follows:
  Whereas under tax relief legislation passed in 2001, the death
tax was temporarily phased out, not permanently eliminated; and
  Whereas women and minorities are very often owners of small and
medium-sized businesses, and the death tax prevents their
children from reaping the rewards of a lifetime trying to make a
better life; and
  Whereas farmers and other small businesses will face losing
their farms and businesses if the federal government resumes the
heavy taxation of citizens at death; and
  Whereas employees suffer when they lose their jobs when small
and medium-sized businesses are liquidated to pay death taxes and
because high capital costs depress the number of new businesses
that could offer them a job; and
  Whereas if the estate tax had been repealed in 1996, over the
next nine years the United States economy would have averaged as
much as $11 billion per year in extra output, and an average of
145,000 additional new jobs would have been created; and
  Whereas the persistent uncertainty created by the sunset
provision prevents families and small businesses from taking
advantage of the temporary repeal; and
  Whereas having repeatedly passed both the United States House
of Representatives and the United States Senate, elimination of
the death tax has proven to hold wide bipartisan support; now,
therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The Oregon Congressional Delegation is respectfully
requested to work to repeal the death tax at the earliest
opportunity.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to each member of the
Oregon Congressional Delegation.
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