Oregon — The referendum effort to overturn Oregon’s new $4.3 billion transportation tax package is ramping up faster than organizers originally planned, with petition sheets now circulating across the state and volunteer signing locations coming online throughout the weekend. Social media posts show signature gathering efforts were quickly stood up in Clackamas, Linn, and Washington Counties along with other areas.
Rep. Ed Diehl, a chief petitioner for the referendum, said in a post that the campaign’s statewide rollout began almost immediately after the approval to print petition sheets arrived late Wednesday. “We just received approval to PRINT sheets Wednesday at 5 pm,” Diehl told supporters. “We were not even sure if we’d get approval by Wednesday. Orders went statewide on Thursday, with many counties receiving their copies same day and gathering signatures that morning!”
Diehl emphasized that the early surge of activity came even before the organization planned to begin operations. “We are rapidly deploying AHEAD of our plan to take advantage of this time,” he said. Because petition sheets were not physically available until Thursday, he explained, organizers could not confirm signing events for the weekend. Now, however, “volunteers state-wide are securing signing locations.”
The rapid launch follows Oregon Roundup’s reporting that Gov. Tina Kotek signed the tax hike on Friday but did not publicly announce it until Monday, effectively compressing the 90-day window for opponents to collect roughly 75,000 valid signatures. The measure raises the state gas tax by six cents, increases title and registration fees, and adds a 0.1% statewide payroll tax for transit. According to KVAL News, Kotek said the law is needed “to keep state highways and local roads safe and open to traffic while preserving transit service and halting the pending layoffs of essential transportation staff.”
Critics argue the governor’s timing limited transparency and reduced the public’s ability to respond. OPB previously noted that “the delay in signing the bill limits opponents’ ability to pursue a referendum.”
No Tax Oregon organizers say interest in signing has been overwhelming, with volunteers reporting lines at early signing tables from the Willamette Valley to Southern Oregon and the Columbia Basin. As more sheets arrive in rural counties, local petition captains are setting up drop-in locations at businesses, granges, farmers’ markets, and community hubs.
Diehl urged Oregonians eager to sign to watch for updates across several platforms. “As soon as we have locations you will be hearing from us!” he said. “Please follow me here as well as No Tax Oregon. There are also many other community pages… We will also be updating the NoTaxOR.com website with signing locations.”
The referendum petitions must be returned and verified before Dec. 30 in order to place the tax package on the November 2026 statewide ballot.
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We here in Forest Grove want to sign as soon as we can! This must be stopped!