Opponent wants much higher gas taxes
My Opponent, Gamba, wants the state gas tax to go up 5 cents per year, doubling to 80 cents
The Oregon Legislature and Governor passed a bill that would have increased the state gas tax to 45 cents from 40 cents this year, which would have made Oregon the 11th highest in state gasoline taxes among the 50 U.S states. Voters rejected this increase in the gas tax in May of 2026 by 83% voting no, and so, the state gas tax remains at 40 cents and 13th highest in the nation.
My opponent Gamba is part of a group that proposed hiking the gas tax each year by 5 cents until it reached 80 cents, doubling it by the year 2032. Here's the link which stems from an original report by the Oregon Public Broadcasting news website: Progressive Democrats unveil plan for transportation funding driven by doubling of gas tax | News From The States
In this article, just linked, Gamba is quoted as saying Oregon spends less on transportation per person than other surrounding states. But a fact check, using Willamette Week news, says Oregon spends about average on transportation per person compared, nationally and against other western states. Here is Google's Artificial Intelligence fact check of Gamba's under spending claim:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Overview No, Oregon's spending on roads and highways is about average compared to other states. [1, 2]Spending Levels
- Average comparison: Analyses by groups like the Brookings Institution and the Oregon Department of Justice show that Oregon spends roughly average amounts per capita on roads and highways compared to neighboring Western states (around $630 per resident). [1, 2]
- Misconceptions: Claims that Oregon is a uniquely low-spending state often confuse transportation revenue, taxes, and fees with actual project spending, or fail to account for how other states handle car-related sales taxes through general funds. [1, 2]
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My own view is that Oregon state government is not controlling its costs. Both the Rose Quarter I-5 and Interstate Bridge Replacement projects need to be streamlined, and the billions in tax dollars flowing to them should be cut to just cover maintenance of the existing Rose Quarter I-5 freeway and the Interstate Bridge just simply be earthquake proofed. Oregon must also look to more competitive bidding for its road maintenance and operations, rather than making these costs fixed at highest rates.
(posted by Elvis Clark September 29, 2026)
Gamba wants you to pay much more in property taxes
As Mayor, Gamba pushed Milwaukie's Budget Committee to include this chart in the City's budget doc.
Gamba wanted the above chart to be included and put upfront in Milwaukie's Budget document, bemoaning the fact that if only Oregon's constitutional limits on increases in property taxes were abolished, Milwaukie city hall could rake in more property tax proceeds from homeowners/property owners. Property taxpayers in Oregon, including Milwaukie, pay property taxes based on the assessed value (AV) of their home (the lower gold line in the chart above), but Gamba wants to tax property owners based on the real market value (RMV) of their homes (the much higher blue line).
Hence, if Gamba had his way, your property tax bill would be over 50% per year higher than it is now - you would be taxed on the blue line of the chart above rather than the constitutionally limited gold line. (The chart above might be a bit confusing as the top blue line is the real market value of all homes and properties in the City of Milwaukie and the bottom gold line is the constitutionally limited assessed value of all homes and properties in the City of Milwaukie. But make no mistake about it, your home is included in both lines.)
(If you are a renter, you also probably pay property taxes indirectly, as your landlord typically raises your rent by the amount that he/she pays in property tax on the apartment or home you are living in. So, property taxes do not just hit the wealthy as Gamba would have you believe, but most Oregonians pay - and would pay much more if Gamba had his way.)
Ironically, once Gamba left his mayoral position to become state representative, the City of Milwaukie discontinued showing the graph above, the one Gamba had insisted on.
(posted by Elvis Clark on September 20, 2026)
Gamba wants to do away with kicker tax refunds
In 2023, the average Oregon income taxpayer got their tax payment reduced by $1,000
Mark Gamba in his Voter Statement states the following: "...the kicker and property tax limits. Both predominantly benefit the richest Oregonians. " During the 2025 Oregon legislative session, Gamba sought to reduce the refund Oregon income taxpayers receive when the state over collects income taxes (it's called the Kicker Refund).
Gamba claims that the Kicker Refund benefits mostly just the wealthy, but the average Oregon income taxpayer in a recent year benefited by the tune of $1,000 in Kicker refund, lowering their actual state income taxes by the full $1,000. The Kicker helps many Oregonians keep more of their hard earned income.
Here's OPB's reporting on attempts by Gamba and other legislators to deny Oregon taxpayers the benefit of lower taxes when the state over collects income taxes: Oregon lawmakers might once again debate the ‘kicker’ tax rebate this year - OPB
Here's Oregon Catalyst's reporting on the kicker refund benefiting most Oregon taxpayers:
45% of your 2022 income taxes to be refunded (Kicker) | Oregon Catalyst
Gamba wants to raise your cost of living with another Tax
If it weren't enough, Gamba also wants to add a sales tax onto your cost of living.
The above panel documents that as state representative Gamba wants a new statewide sales tax. This sales tax would make the lives of Oregonians significantly less affordable. Gamba told he supports a new statewide sales tax to Milwaukie city councilors back on January 6, of this year.
Gamba says the state needs a sales tax, but we already have a sales tax
As described in the above panel, the state of Oregon taxes business gross receipts, or in other words, sales. The state has what is called the CAT tax, which is short for Corporate Activity Tax. Oregonians pay more for the things they buy because the CAT tax is passed by businesses onto Oregon consumers, hidden in the sale prices of things Oregonians buy. Businesses normally pass along the CAT tax to Oregon consumers without it appearing as a separate line-item tax, as would be the case with a typical sales tax.
Google's Artificial Intelligence confirms the CAT tax as a sales tax:
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AI Overview
✅ Yes, Oregon's Corporate Activity Tax (CAT) applies to a large corporation's gross sales (specifically, Oregon-sourced commercial activity/gross receipts) over $1 million, though it allows a partial subtraction for certain costs.
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So, Gamba wants to place a sales tax on top of an existing sales tax. It seems clear that Gamba's addiction for wanting more taxes would cause an acceleration of Oregonians and Oregon businesses who pay the state taxes, now, to pack up and leave the state, leaving less state monies to help those needing state assistance.
Too much taxes put Oregon an economic doom loop, and even now more Oregon businesses are closing than opening.
I don't know how else to describe it, but Gamba is a horror show for everyday Oregonians - his wanting to hugely fund and grow an already bloated state government sharply raising taxes on everyday Oregonians, right down to those living just paycheck to paycheck.
(posted by Elvis Clark on October 4, 2026)
Gamba thinks he knows better than you how to use your money
A Recent DHM Poll of Oregonian concerns ranks the high cost of living and taxes as most dire
Gamba's want of a new state sales tax would worsen the cost of living, as the cost of goods and services would inflate further as businesses pass along this new sales tax onto you the consumer, via higher prices.
Gamba's want of faster property tax increases, lower state income tax refunds, and much higher gas prices would hit most Oregonians, not just the so-called wealthy.
Oregon already has the 9th highest tax burden among the 50 U.S states
Wallet Hub's ranking above of Oregon as being the ninth most costly state for taxation is also shared by the federal government's Bureau of Economic Analysis ranking of state income taxation. Wallet Hub's ranking includes sales, excise taxes in addition to income taxes.
State government is already ballooning in size, bleeding away the ability of Oregonians to afford it
The chart just above put together by Willamette Week newspaper, back this last July 2026, shows that Oregon state government employment is growing sharply faster than the population of Oregon. This is true also of Oregon state government spending which outpaces growth in the Oregon economy over the last ten years, per data from the St Louis Federal Reserve bank.
In spite of Oregon's high tax burden, Gamba looks down on Oregon taxpayers, calling them petulant
God's honest truth: Gamba called taxpayers - objecting to his proposed doubling of the state gas tax - petulant children, per OPB news reporting.
The reason Gamba (D) can ignore his constituents and hike their taxes and cost of living is that he is in a noncompetitive district, as voter registrations are over 5 Democrats to 1 Republican in Oregon state house district #41, the one I am seeking your vote.
I, Elvis Clark (R), nonetheless ask for your vote as my top priority is to vote against the creation of new taxes, fees; limiting the funding of Oregon state government to that provided by existing tax and fee rates. No new taxes.
If you really want to stop the state legislature from creating new taxes and fees, and/or hiking existing tax/fee rates; vote for gridlock among state legislators and the Governor, by voting Christine Drazan (R) for Oregon Governor.
(posted by Elvis Clark on October 5, 2026)