Governor's spending plan includes host of tax increases in some form.
Byline: Anne Williams The Register-Guard Should Gov. Ted Kulongoski have his way, smokers would shell out another 60 cents for a pack of cigarettes, and motorists would pay a bit more for gasoline and a lot more to register their vehicles. Those are the tax...

Finance watchdog panel eyes some cuts; Group targeting education budget.
Byline: Elaine Thompson SHREWSBURY - A local fiscal watchdog group is urging residents and town meeting members to advocate for reductions in the budget, particularly in the school budget, to prevent tax increases. About 20 members of town meeting and Seniors for Responsible Taxation met...

No one exempt from tax sting; Increases passed on to homeowners, businesses.
Byline: Nick Kotsopoulos WORCESTER - Homeowners will see their annual real estate tax bills go up by $117, on average, while the average tax bill for business property owners will be going up by $508. The tax hikes are the result of property tax rates...

Massive Tobacco Tax Increase by Congress Spells Even More Economic Disaster for Jobs and State Economies.
EDITOR'S NOTE: To see how much money your state stands to lose if the federal excise tax on cigarettes and tobacco products is increased, please see the included chart. MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In an urgent message to Congress and President-Elect Barack Obama, the National Association...

A challenging session.
Byline: The Register-Guard The top three issues confronting Oregon's 75th Legislative Assembly when it convenes on Monday will be the budget, the budget and the budget. A worsening economy will lead to increased demand for public services, while also restricting the flow of tax revenues to support...

NO EASY WAY OUT.
Byline: David Steves The Register-Guard SALEM - The economic pain that for months has been squeezing Oregonians will extend its reach to the Capitol on Monday, when the Legislature convenes for its 75th regular session. Lawmakers will arrive from communities throughout the state where their...

Outcry likely saved legacy of O'Brien.
Byline: Clive McFarlane COLUMN: CLIVE MCFARLANE It is not City Manager Michael O'Brien's fault that Worcester is teetering financially, projecting a budget shortfall of $26.9 million to $31.4 million next fiscal year. A lot of events - the subprime mortgage collapse, the meltdown...

Reform tops Corridor Nine menu; 7 legislators speak at breakfast.
Byline: Priyanka Dayal WESTBORO - Reform was the word of the day at a breakfast meeting yesterday, where seven state legislators spoke to members of the Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce. Three state senators and four representatives - two Republicans and five Democrats -...

Florida Government And Politics Weekly Update (Week Of December 22, 2008).
Economy: As Unemployment Continues to Rise, State Economists Predict Recovery in 2010 For November 2008, Florida's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.3 percent, the highest level in more than 15 years. According to the State of Florida, Agency for Workforce Innovation, the November rate exceeded the rate...

If President Obama is sincere in his stated intention to reform entitlements, he needs Republican support.
If President Obama is sincere in his stated intention to reform entitlements, he needs Republican support. As eager as many Democrats may be to raise taxes to pay for Social Security and Medicare, they are unlikely to want to take full responsibility for it--and Republicans will not, and should...