If Phil Barnhart has anything to say about it - and he does - top money makers in Oregon face a likely state income tax hike as the result of this legislative session.

But others won't, though he won't say just what he considers the top brackets.

"I have no plans to raise taxes on low and moderate income people," Barnhart said in an interview Monday.

Rep. Barnhart, D-Eugene, is chairman of the House Revenue Committee, where tax legislation originates. His 11th House District encompasses south Linn County including Brownsville and the southern outskirts of Lebanon and Sweet Home.

He said the state's

economic crisis will cut revenue over the next two budget years, affecting schools, health care and public safety, which together make up more than 90 percent of the general fund.

The state can't tax its way out of that shortfall, and "there will be substantial budget cuts that will hurt people," the House tax chairman said. "But we also expect to pass some tax increase."

Oregonians face likely increases in gas and tobacco taxes, including a tax on snuff intended to keep young people from taking up that habit, Barnhart said.

Any income tax hike won't affect most wage earners, who in Barnhart's view haven't seen a rise in real income for some time, but he predicted it will affect higher incomes.

It will be late May, Barnhart said, before he'll know that kind of a tax package emerges from the committee.

The Democrat-Herald sought his comments after Republican legislators compiled a long list of tax proposals Democrats had introduced in the legislature.

The list included various kinds of personal and corporate income tax boosts along with others.

For example, there is HB 3303 introduced by Rep. Chris Garrett, D-Lake Oswego. It calls for a 10 percent excise tax on the wholesale price of bird seed including millet, milo, sunflower and thistle seeds.

The bird seed tax would fund a conservation program in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Barnhart was asked about that bill. His reply: "I don't see us setting up new programs this year."