Bad idea: Vacancy tax

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Portland City Council so believes in the idea of a vacancy tax that they’ve commissioned a $60,000 of taxpayer dollars to study the issue.   At one point, Portland was rated the #1 office vacancy city in America.   The vacancy tax would punish building owners when they lose tenants.  The politicians believe that by threatening them with steep fines, these owners would rush to bring businesses back.

The other part of the equation are apartment units.  As mentioned in the KOIN-6 article, there is frustration that Portland has a huge homeless population and at the same time a lot of vacant apartments.   Proponents of the vacancy tax believe that homeless might start signing up for apartment units if landlords were taxed and pushed to recruit these tenants.

None of this reflects reality.

Even the State Government is looking into a statewide vacancy tax.  Last year, lawmakers had a hearing on SB 1095 which would have fined homeowners if they left one of their properties go vacant for too long.  The Taxpayers Association of Oregon spoke against the tax.