Wage tax: Eugene to Portland to Salem

No to Salem wage tax #24-491
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

To understand Salem’s wage tax Ballot Measure 24-491, we should understand the history of cities/counties trying to make a cash grab by passing their own local income and wage tax sources.

• In 2011, Eugene tried to pass a city income tax, simply because the City said they couldn’t live with out it.  Voters said no, and then *magic * the City found a way to live within their budget without a massive new tax.

• In 2020, Portland (via Metro and Multnomah) passed both an income tax (26-210) and another income tax (26-214).   Voters said yes to both taxes.   The result was that so many people fled Multnomah County that the County lost a billion dollars in tax revenue as 14,000+ taxpayers left.  At the same time, 25 other counties in Oregon saw an increase in income tax revenue, which means these taxpayers left for safer counties.

• Now in 2023, Salem wants their wage tax (Measure 24-491).

Salem can either live within their means (like Eugene), or they can over-tax their citizens with Measure 24-491 (like Portland/Multnomah) and watch their citizens flee.

Oregon already is the highest taxed effective income tax state for the middle class.   By Salem adding Measure 24-491, it would make Oregon even worse.

This wage tax is different than the previous income taxes because it applies to people that work here.   The moment you step into the city to sell something, may be the moment you start having to paying the tax.  People who don’t live in Salem will be paying dearly for this tax.

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