Kick Back the Kicker!

This November the State of Oregon will be refunding a portion of Oregonian’s state income taxes. Oregon's kicker tax provision, which dates to 1979, is the only one of its kind in the nation. Under the rule, which voters put in the state Constitution in 2000, if tax payments rise more than 2 percent above what officials project when they enact the two-year state budget, all the unanticipated money is rebated to taxpayers.

Seeing that our schools are still not adequately funded, we think some of that money should be put back into our schools which are crucial to the future of our communities and the livability of our city. In the last kicker cycle of 1998 LSF’s raised over $300,000 when there were far fewer schools with foundations than there are now.

We hope that Local School Foundations will take advantage of this fundraising opportunity. Use your weekly flyers, email newsletters and direct mail to send this message several times to the families of your schools. I’m sure each school has an example or story of being under-funded that you can tell to encourage families to give. Try putting a Kicker poster in you lobby with a goal and mark the progress to engage donors.

Kicker tax refund checks average $275 and are 18.60% of what Oregonian's paid for their 2006 state income taxes. That is the biggest ever! The checks will be mailed by December 15th-get ready!

Need help? Have questions? please call or email Judi Charman 503-234-5404 X28 judi@thinkschools.org