"Narrow Profit Margin" Corporations Are Spending Money They Say They Don’t Have to Fight the Oregon Rebate
Nearly $6 million in corporate money is flowing into Oregon to fight Measure 118 as VP Harris announces plan to take on their “price gouging”
Measure 118 opponents, including Democrats like Gov. Kotek, show they are out of step with the economic priorities of voters and the party’s popular nominee
PORTLAND – As Vice President Harris announced her direct cash and tax credit-heavy economic agenda, the political action committee fighting the Oregon Rebate, an initiative designed to rebate $1,600 to every Oregonian each year, disclosed $5.8 million in donations from Kroger, Albertsons-Safeway, Costco, and US Bank, among other corporations impacted by Measure 118.
These corporations cite “narrow profit margins” as the reason for fighting the measure, however, their record-breaking profits would say otherwise. In 2023, Kroger reported $33 billion, Costco posted $31 billion, and Albertsons raked in $22 billion.
Oregon Rebate responded: “There is a lot of irony in taxpayer-subsidized corporations spending millions to avoid paying taxpayers. But they’re showing their hand. These giant corporations pay essentially zero tax dollars while raking in billions in profits. Not only are we subsidizing their profits by paying for roads, educating their workforces, and providing essential infrastructure, but we’re paying a higher tax rate while dealing with higher costs from their dirty greed-flation tactics.
Now these corporations are paying millions to scare voters into thinking that $1,600 for every person, every year is not in your best interest as they keep counting their billions,” said Chief Petitioner Antonio Gisbert.
Vice President and Democratic Nominee Kamala Harris is calling out these predatory corporate practices that have exacerbated inflation and kept working people and families struggling. Harris pledged to put money back in the pockets of families with a new child tax credit of as much as $6,000 for families with infants, cut taxes for families with kids, and a ban on price gouging. For comparison, Measure 118 will rebate a 4-person household over $6,400.
This agenda priority of the Harris-Walz campaign is directly at odds with Democratic leadership in Oregon, who sided with corporate special interests to oppose Measure 118, as well as their rank and file. One week ago, a majority (51%) of Democratic Party SCC Members voted to endorse Measure 118 even after Gov. Kotek publicly opposed it.
Not only are leaders like Gov. Kotek out of touch with mainstream Democratic policies, but they’re ignoring the overwhelming popularity and economic impact of programs like the pandemic-era Child Tax Credit stimulus checks, even as national party figures double down on them. The Oregon Rebate would decrease childhood poverty in the state by 53% and the overall poverty rate by 36%, according to Policy Engine.
Learn more about the first-of-its-kind Oregon rebate officially qualifying for the November ballot and find us at yesonmeasure118.com and on Twitter and Instagram.
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