Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon is poised for a big fight over taxes. 

A group seeking to overturn a pair of tax increases turned in more than a dozen boxes of signatures to the Secretary of State's office Friday.

Opponents of the taxes say they collected more than twice as many signatures as needed in order to get the measures on the ballot.

They say the legislatively-approved tax hikes on corporations and upper-income earners will lead to layoffs and drive businesses from the state. 

A coalition of unions and social service advocates is organizing to fight in support of the taxes.

Spokesman Scott Moore says the tax hikes won't actually apply to very many people.

Scott Moore:  "I think what you're going to hear is a lot of scare tactics in order to convince people that they're being impacted when they're not."

Oregon lawmakers passed the taxes to help plug a multi-billion dollar hole in the state budget. 

The Secretary of State's office has 30 days to confirm whether enough of the petition signatures are valid.  If they are, voters will decide the fate of the measures in January.