Home Tax, Sales Tax & Water Tax!

Home tax

There is movement in the State Capitol to create something called a residential recording fee to be paid upon selling of a home. Unfortunately, it is not a fee but a tax, “a sales tax on homes” to be more precise. In addition to a new home tax, some lawmakers are looking to instituting a system development charge for new homes to help fund education expenses. Two new homes taxes would continue to make Oregon’s livability a liability to our pocketbook.

Sales tax

In the Senate there is stirrings of talk of a sales tax. Proponents are selling it as being revenue neutral. It won’t cost anyone anything! Or will it?????. This is the same bill of goods they tried to sell last session. Knowing that few politicians would dare propose tax reform without getting more dough, we wonder what the catch will be. Last time the plan was that they would raise an extra near-billion in tax revenue from tourist alone. The fact that most tourists in Oregon actually live in Oregon means the revenue neutral idea doesn’t pan out. Don’t worry, we still capture those non-native tourists with our high gas tax and hotel tax.

Water tax

Rumor has it that Jackie Dingfelder (D – Portland), who will chair the House Committee on Energy and the Environment, will introduce legislation requiring every residential well used to install a meter on their well, and report their water usage to the state Water Resources Department. This shows how in touch Portland legislators are with anyone who lives outside of town, and who is responsible for installing, maintaining, and paying for their own water supply. We know where this expensive metering will lead”¦a water tax!