Oregon taxpayers may see an even larger “kicker,” a credit on their 2019 personal state income tax returns, than previously anticipated. Previously, taxpayers were expected to receive an average $370 million refund in 2020 — now that kicker tax refund may grow much larger. The Oregon Department of Revenue noted that the kicker for 2018…
By Bob Clark, Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Back in the year 2012, world oil prices are still at a peak and California is preparing to launch in 2013 its Cap and Trade Program to reduce CO2 emissions. Not to fall behind California, Oregon state politicians earlier this year (2019) attempt to enact approximately the…
$1.3 billion Business Sales tax (HB3427) : House Bill 3427 (also called “Student Success Act”) imposes a 0.57% Commercial Activities (gross receipts) Tax on “business activity” (sales) exceeding $1 million per year, minus 35% of the “cost of inputs” (e.g. materials) or labor costs, plus a flat fee of $250. It taxes business sales revenue…
The majority of American workers travel to their workplaces, and they spend more time doing so, according to a traffic study that compared commuter times in 2008 with those of 2017. Commuters in Portland spend an average of 54 minutes going back and forth to work each day, and it’s grown longer in the…
By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Oregonians do live in tax hell. This tax season, Oregon taxpayers are sacrificing more of their tax money than most Americans. Oregon ranks as the nation’s fourth-biggest for state government spending, per capita, according to the latest data from the National Association of Budget Offices. That means 46 other…
Capitol Update Series: Developing high-speed internet connections in rural communities can expand business and economic opportunities, which is one reason Oregon Representative Lynn Findley authored House Bill 2455. The measure would define development and expansion of broadband Internet as economic development for purposes of the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Board. In 2017, the Legislature…
By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Capitol Update series: State Representative Christine Drazan made it a priority this year to find solutions to protect seniors form Oregon’s increasing tax rate which is driving some Oregon senior citizens from their home. The state and local taxes Oregon residents pay on real and personal property, net worth,…
Capitol Update Series: One of the priorities of Oregon State Senator Denyc Boles during the 2019 Session was to come up with legislation to address the rampant and persistent problem of school bullying and student harassment. In 2018, nearly 8.8 percent of students in Oregon reported they were bullied or harassed once a week…
It is official that the highly provocative and costly Carbon tax climate bill HB 2020 died as the 2019 Oregon Legislative Session drew to a close — mere hours before their June 30th midnight deadline. The carbon tax climate bill, HB 2020, passed the Oregon House but failed in the Senate after the entire Oregon…
The protest against Oregon’s Carbon Tax bill HB 2020 (also called climate bill, carbon cap and trade) went national this month and has led to its own collapsing. One of the loudest voices in the debate has been the community most endangered by the carbon tax — which is timber industry and the small…