Over 60 sneaker taxes on local ballot

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

There are over 60 local tax measures on the various county ballots in Oregon this May Primary.

We call them sneaker taxes because many of these local tax measures were put on the ballot by politicians at the very last minute in March — barely 30 days before ballots are sent out.  Wow!

30 days is not enough time to have a public debate — and that is why the politicians do it.

This is why most voters will open their Voter Pamphlet or ballots this week and be surprised at a local tax they did not know about.

Another reason we call them sneaker taxes is that many of these taxes on the May ballot are property tax renewals and politicians sell these taxes as not costing taxpayers anything.  That is incorrect.   Without the tax measure on the ballot, your taxes are going down (as the tax expires), by  the measure passing your taxes will be going up.

To help educate voters, the Taxpayers Association of Oregon created this cheat-sheet below on upcoming local taxes so you do not get surprised.   We list in red taxes that we oppose and think are excessive or wrong.

Baker
Tax Alert! #1-123 Baker Fire Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #1-124 Haines Fire Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #1-125 Pine/E school bond
Tax Alert! #1-126 Fir/police tax levy
Tax Alert! #1-127 Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #1-128 Local Option tax for weeds

Clackamas
Vote No! #26-244 zoo tax bond
Vote No! #3-605 Urban Renewal
Tax Alert! #3-606 Molalla school bond
Tax Alert! #3-607 Est. school bond

­
Columbia
Tax Alert! #5-298 – Police Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #5-299 – 911 Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #5-300 – Jail Levy
Tax Alert! #5-301 – Vernonia Fire levy

Coos
Tax Alert! #6-212 – Myrtle-P, Fire levy
Tax Alert! #6-213 – Police levy
Tax Alert! #6-214 – (Coq) school bond

 Crook
Tax Alert! 7-87 – School bond

Deschutes
Tax Alert! 9-164 – Dust L/O tax
Tax Alert! #9-165  La Pine fire levy
Tax Alert! #9-166 La Pine fire levy
Tax Alert! #9-167 school Local Option levy 

Douglas
Tax Alert!  #10-208 gym bond

Hood River
Vote No! #14-77 Park levy
Vote No! #14-78 pool/trail bond
Tax Alert!  #14-79 Fire levy

Jackson
Tax Alert! #15-229 fire levy

Jefferson
Tax Alert! #16-109 fire bond
Tax Alert! #16-110 rec. district
Tax Alert! #16-111 rec. district

Josephine
Tax Alert! #17-117 shelter Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #17-118 school bond

Klamath
Tax Alert! #18-132 – 911 dispatch
Tax Alert! #18-133 – Local Option tax

Lane
Tax Alert! #20-350 Fire tax
Tax Alert! #20-351 Street bond
Tax Alert! #20-353 (Mhwk) fire levy
Tax Alert! #20-354 (FR) school bond
Tax Alert! #20-355 (JC) school bond
Tax Alert! #20-356 (Mckzn) fire levy
Vote No! #20-357 school tax bond
Vote No! #20-358 $$ for baseball
Lincoln
Tax Alert! #21-222 Library Local Option tax
Tax Alert! #21-223 (DP)  Fire levy
Tax Alert! #21-224 (OCCC) bond
Tax Alert! #21-225 (GLndn) Local Option tax
Vote No! #21-226 Newport gas tax
Tax Alert! #21-227 (Tld) water bond

Linn
Tax Alert! #22-202 Lebanon fire levy
Tax Alert! 22-203 (SH) fire bond

Marion
Tax Alert! #24-495 Woodburn fire levy
Tax Alert! #24-496 (Jefferson) fire levy
Tax Alert! #24-497 (SF) school bond
Tax Alert! #24-498 school bond

Morrow
Vote No! #25-98 gas tax

Multnomah
Tax Alert! #26-243 water bond
Vote No! #26-244 zoo tax bond
Vote No! #26-245: gas tax
Vote No! #26-246 School bond

Union
Tax Alert! #31-119 – Local Option levy

Wasco
Tax Alert! 3-110 (WH) Local Option tax health

Washington
Vote No! #26-244 zoo tax bond
Tax Alert! #34-332 (TVFR) Fire levy
Tax Alert! #34-333 police levy
Tax Alert! #34-335 Banks fire levy
Tax Alert! #34-336 Banks school bond

Yamhill
Tax Alert! #36-229 – WVFD Fire levy
Tax Alert! #36-230 – Willamina bond
Tax Alert! #36-231 Dundee fire levy
Tax Alert! #36-232 Fire Local Option tax

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