More than most policy reformers, Novick’s clever sense of humor makes reading and learning about tax and budget issues marginally more interesting, but still only for the relatively more politically engaged and policy-educated reader. My hunch is that his seemingly gloomy prognoses for tax reform in Oregon is a function of people’s deep disengagement in tax & budget issues. The fact that budgets and taxes- the primary way governments exercise power- are so alienating to most of the public is not an accident and the policy wonkery of most reform and reformers is partly to blame. How do we make engagement in the vital issues of budgets and taxes and the solutions for reform far more relevant, accessible, and even fun? I suspect part of the solution is to engage Oregonians more in the budgeting rather than the taxing side of the equation. To do that, public officials needs to share some of the power of public budgeting more widely through tools of deliberative and participatory democracy like participatory budgeting.
Great suggestion, Steve. As one of the higher income residents already paying at market value I would like to see some fairness return to the system. However, a lot of businesses have also been getting off with underpayment and they might be the ones paying for an anti campaign.
More than most policy reformers, Novick’s clever sense of humor makes reading and learning about tax and budget issues marginally more interesting, but still only for the relatively more politically engaged and policy-educated reader. My hunch is that his seemingly gloomy prognoses for tax reform in Oregon is a function of people’s deep disengagement in tax & budget issues. The fact that budgets and taxes- the primary way governments exercise power- are so alienating to most of the public is not an accident and the policy wonkery of most reform and reformers is partly to blame. How do we make engagement in the vital issues of budgets and taxes and the solutions for reform far more relevant, accessible, and even fun? I suspect part of the solution is to engage Oregonians more in the budgeting rather than the taxing side of the equation. To do that, public officials needs to share some of the power of public budgeting more widely through tools of deliberative and participatory democracy like participatory budgeting.
Great suggestion, Steve. As one of the higher income residents already paying at market value I would like to see some fairness return to the system. However, a lot of businesses have also been getting off with underpayment and they might be the ones paying for an anti campaign.