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A new poll released this morning by KPTV (Channel 12) shows that voter support for Measure 97, the $3 billion corporate tax increase on the November ballot, continues to erode.
Today's poll, conducted by DHM Research of Portland, finds that 40 percent of voters support Measure 97. That's the third publicly released DHM poll on the measure this cycle. The initial poll, released in early September, showed 60 percent of voters supportive; the second one, released in mid-October showed 45 percent supportive.
The battle over Measure 97 is the most expensive in Oregon history: proponents of the tax increase, which would charge large corporations 2.5 percent of their Oregon sales over $25 million, have raised $13.5 million. Opponents, mostly large, out-of-state companies have raised $25 million.
Related: How Out-of-State Dollars and Ideas are Putting Pressure on Oregon Public Employee Unions.
The other piece of interesting information in today's poll is that former state Rep. Dennis Richardson (R-Central Point) holds a 32 percent to 27 percent lead over Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, a Democrat in the race for secretary of state. That margin is the same as the results of a a poll DHM did for Oregon Public Broadcasting that was released two weeks ago.
Republicans haven't won a state-wide office in Oregon since 2002, so those numbers could portend an upset, although the large number of undecideds mean anything could still happen.
The poll surveyed 504 people on Oct. 25-29 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Willamette Week