Final 4 taxes could pass in next 48 hours

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

1% Paid family leave tax: HB 2005-B is a 1% payroll tax to fund a paid family leave insurance program (FAMLI) to be administered by the Oregon Employment Department.  This 1% tax comes on top of the $2.6 billion business sales tax recently passed.  State Representative Greg Baretto commented on this over-taxation, “I’m asked all the time what it’s like to run a business. I don’t run my business, the state actually runs my business.”

Cell Phone Tax: House Bill 2184 is a tax on cell-phones to help subsidize unrelated landline costs. (HB 2184’s cell-phone tax should not be confused with the other cell-phone tax increase also making its way through the Capitol which is a cell-phone tax increase to fund 911 services).

Tobacco, vaping, cigar tax increase: HB 2270 enacts a $2.00 tax hike on tobacco (from $1.33 to $3.33) and increases taxes on vaping, e-cigarettes and cigars up to 65% of wholesale price.

Carbon Tax (22-cent gas tax): HB 2020 was ruled dead earlier this week after the Republicans staged a protest walk-out demanding that the public have a right to vote on it (Read The People Won. Carbon Tax dead). HB 2020, the Carbon Tax, which would raise gas prices by 22-cents and utility prices by as much as 53% has been declared dead but still remains a viable threat as long as politicians are in the Capitol building. There may be an insurrection among liberal Democrat lawmakers or a compromise bill or a re-match if the lawmakers get called into a Special Session immediately following the close of this Session. The Carbon Tax is a $700 million tax grab. Do not expect that much money with little strings attached to go away too quietly.

Please make sure the Carbon Tax HB 2020 is DEAD. Call or email your State Senator at the Capitol this weekend.  You can find your State Senator’s emails and phone numbers here.

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