Two Democratic state senators are in a kind of debate over how Oregon should come up with more money to fight wildfires and do more prevention.

Your taxes may change.

State Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, wants a tax on industrial timber harvests.

State Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland, wants every private landowner in Oregon to pay a little extra, $10. The resulting $20 million would go to help the Oregon Department of Forestry combat wildfires.

We read about this in an article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. You can find a lot more details there, tinyurl.com/ORwildfiredollars.

Golden is going the route of a ballot measure. If he can get a majority of the Oregon House and Senate to pass such a bill in the short session, as long as Gov. Tina Kotek didn’t balk, it would go on the ballot.

Steiner is going what may be a more challenging route of seeking approval from the Legislature for a new tax. She is also seeking increases in other related fees. Steiner would need a three-fifths vote in both chambers, which would be much more difficult.

Who gets the benefit from these added funds?

It would most directly accrue to owners of timberlands. But obviously when timberlands burn and wildfire smoke fills the air, all Oregonians suffer in multiple ways.

We’d rather Oregonians get to vote on either proposal at the ballot, than the Legislature making the new tax decision for us. Make the case to voters and let them decide how or if it should be done.