The Chronicle of Philanthropy ($$) reports that numerous states had measures on the ballot that could have resulted in harmful cuts for charitable organizations that rely on state aid. "While the tax proposals on several state ballots were not aimed specifically at nonprofit organizations, the reductions in state revenue they would have prompted could have harmed charities that receive state and local grants and contracts to run arts, education, social-services, and other programs." An example of one of the failed proposals was in Oregon, which would have allowed residents to deduct federal taxes from their state income-tax returns, reducing the state's budget by about $1 billion. However, one proposal that we noted before on the ballot in Oregon would prohibit automatic deductions from the paychecks of government employees. "Nonprofit groups generally opposed the effort, fearing that donations to charities from government employees also could be prohibited. The measure passed by a very narrow margin. Oregon voters defeated three similar measures in recent years."