(1) The goals of the Legislative Assembly are to achieve for the people of this state a tax system that recognizes:

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 316.003

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts

(a) Fairness and equity as its basic values; and

(b) That the total tax system should use seven guiding principles as measures by which to evaluate tax proposals.

(2) Those guiding principles are:

(a) Ability to pay;

(b) Fairness;

(c) Efficiency;

(d) Even distribution;

(e) The tax system should be equitable where the minimum aspects of a fair system are:

(A) That it shields genuine subsistence income from taxation;

(B) That it is not regressive; and

(C) That it imposes approximately the same tax burden on all households earning the same income;

(f) Adequacy; and

(g) Flexibility.

(3) To meet those goals of Oregon’s tax system, any tax must be considered in conjunction with the effects of all other taxes on Oregonians. [1991 c.457 § 1a; 2017 c.315 § 22]

 

316.003 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS Chapter 316 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

 

[1953 c.304 § 1; repealed by 1969 c.493 § 99]