LETTER: Don’t mess with the kicker
Published 2:30 pm Thursday, June 26, 2025
As Oregonians, we’re accustomed to the quirks of our state: we don’t pump our own gas, there’s no sales tax, and the state controls liquor sales. But one policy that often leaves people scratching their heads is the kicker.
Politicians love to criticize the kicker, calling it a “waste” or an “unnecessary giveaway” in times when state government seems to always be in need of more funding. But as a third-generation Oregonian, I believe it’s important to remember why the kicker exists and why it’s still an essential part of Oregon’s fiscal policy.
The kicker is triggered when the state collects more revenue than projected — specifically when state revenue exceeds expectations by 2%. The excess funds are then returned to taxpayers. It’s simple, and it’s meant to curb government spending when times are good so that we don’t overspend and face shortfalls during leaner years.
In the 1980s, after the state’s economy faced a serious downturn due to the collapse of the timber industry, Oregon lawmakers realized the danger of spending surpluses and creating programs that were hard to scale back during tough times. Thus, the kicker was born. It was a way to keep state spending in check, ensuring that we didn’t expand the budget beyond what was sustainable.
In 2025, however, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. Governor Tina Kotek has proposed using a portion of next year’s kicker to fund wildfire relief efforts, citing the state’s need to bolster its preparedness for future fires. As much as we all understand the urgency of addressing wildfire risks, it’s essential to examine the long-term implications of using the kicker in this way.
Let’s be clear: The kicker was not designed to fund emergency or recurring expenses, such as wildfire relief. It was created to prevent out-of-control spending, ensuring that when Oregon is flush with revenue, it’s returned to the people. If we allow the kicker to be reallocated for these purposes, we risk eroding the very mechanism that keeps our state’s budget in check.
Oregon is the most income-tax dependent state in the nation, and while some argue that the kicker is a “tax rebate for the rich,” that’s a mischaracterization. The kicker is about holding the line on government spending and keeping politicians accountable for taxpayer dollars. If we begin to divert the kicker for pet projects, where does it end?
We cannot allow the kicker, a tool that has kept Oregon’s spending relatively restrained for 40 years, to be diluted for short-term fixes. There’s a danger in using emergency funds like this for ongoing problems that should be budgeted more carefully. Wildfires are a real threat, but so is the financial future of Oregon. By diverting this money now, we risk making it harder to stop future overspending — which will hurt all Oregonians in the long run.
It’s time to think carefully about how we use taxpayer dollars. If the kicker is reallocated for wildfire relief, we may be giving up a piece of fiscal responsibility that Oregonians fought hard to secure.
We need leaders who will stand firm on fiscal accountability — not just when it’s easy, but especially when it’s tough. Having been involved in leadership positions in our community and running for office in the past, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of responsible spending, protecting taxpayers, and preserving the policies that make Oregon such a unique and stable place to live.
Let’s not lose sight of the history and the purpose behind the kicker.