6 bad taxes on local November ballot

Six bad ballot measures up for vote:  Measure 36-237, Measure 3-630, Measure 3-626, Measure 3-629, Measure 15-238, Measure 26-260
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

• 75% tax hike!!!!! Portland Park levy Measure 26-260: It’s a 75% Tax Hike, Not a Renewal. This isn’t a simple renewal—it explodes your parks tax from 80 cents to $1.40 per $1,000 of home value. The average homeowner will pay more than $300 annually in new taxes—money that could pay for groceries or gas. Families in large numbers have moved out of Portland because it is too expensive to raise a family here. Don’t make it worse. No on Measure 26-260.

• 18% hotel tax hike!!! Jackson County transient lodging tax increase from 11% to 13% — Measure 15-238. This is the SECOND lodging tax increase and it is hurting hotels. The more you raise room costs through higher taxes, the less tourists you’ll have. No on Measure 15-238.

• Near $200 million for shrinking school. West Linn-Wilsonville $190 million school bailout bond Measure 3-629: The district is cutting $15 million from its budget and firing staff because fewer students are enrolled. Yet they’re asking taxpayers for a massive $190 million bond. This makes no sense. Why should taxpayers approve nearly $200 million in new debt for a district that can’t balance its daily budget? No on Measure 3-629.

• $50 million for luxury pool, gym, recreation center, more. Happy Valley’s $50 million (unnecessary) luxury recreation center — Measure 3-626: Happy Valley wants you to pay for a $50 million community center. It’s a terrible deal for taxpayers. A recreation center with a pool and gym is a luxury, not essential like police or roads. In this economy, we cannot afford luxuries. Forcing every property owner to pay decades of debt for a non-essential project is wrong. The city has already saved over $20 million for this project, proving they have other options. They should use private partnerships and user fees, not a mandatory property tax. Even worse, this creates a huge hidden cost. The $50 million bond only pays to build it. It provides ZERO money to run it—no staff, no utilities, no maintenance. No on Measure 3-626.

• $100 million for luxury pool, recreation center, library, parks.  McMinnville’s $98 million (blank check) bond Measure 36-237: The City of McMinnville wants nearly $100 million for a new pool and recreation center—which are luxuries, not essential city services. In this economy, we cannot afford luxuries. The city bundled this with routine maintenance for the library and parks—items that should be paid for through normal yearly budgeting. No on Measure 36-237.

• Oregon Trail School District (over-the-top) $172 million school bond Measure 3-630. Oregon Trail School District wants homeowners to pay a massive $172.2 million bond that costs too much and uses a classic government sales pitch. This bond will hit property owners with a new tax of $1.12 per $1,000 of assessed value. For an average home, that’s an extra $323 every year in property taxes. To sell this tax hike, they’re dangling a $6.1 million “matching grant” from the state. Don’t fall for it. That matching grant isn’t free money—it’s your own state tax dollars being used to bribe you into approving a much bigger local tax increase. You’re being asked to tax yourself $172.2 million locally just to get $6.1 million of your own money back from the state. That’s a terrible deal. No on Measure 3-630.

Follow this website to keep up to date on news regarding Oregon local ballot Measure 36-237, Measure 3-630, Measure 3-626, Measure 3-629, Measure 15-238, Measure 26-260.

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