Newspapers push $122M Google tax to fund themselves

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

There is a hearing this Wednesday (4/23) for Senate Bill 686 which would tax Google and Facebook (Meta) $122 million and use that revenue to dole it out to local newspapers and newsrooms in Oregon.

For starters, the Taxpayers Association of Oregon is a devoted defender of local journalism as we direct nearly a 1,000 people everyday to local media newsrooms through our news ticker — OregonWatchdog.com.

The bill is dangerous form of new taxes where government tells a private third-party to pay money directly to another private third-party.

The tax-hungry proponents are pushing Senate Bill 686 as retribution for Google and Meta use of news highlight features and Artificial Intelligence which creates content by utilizing newsrooms’ copyrighted content. We agree 100% with the problem, which is why lawmakers should fix the problem with proper and strong copyright safeguards.

Here is why Senate Bill 686 is very bad:

#1. Government is taxing one private company to reward another private company.

#2. Government is using a tax as a sledgehammer to politically punish people and not fix a single problem.

#3. Newspapers would be receiving government directed tax dollars. It would no longer be journalism. It further increases the government’s control of every aspect of our lives.

Remember, this is how our current government sponsored National Public Radio has handled political bias with their DC editorial positions 87 Democrats and 0 Republicans.

Please stop the looting of Google and Meta to lavish tax dollars on newspapers.

Submit an online testimony here (hit testimony tab).

The bill is likely to amended with (#2 amendments) as seen here.

It is a sham that the lawmakers waited into the final few weeks top rush a public hearing on this.

Since this bill is the first of its kind in America, and since it will forever change journalism in Oregon and since it smacks just a few companies with a massive $120 million tax, you think lawmakers and the media would embrace a welcoming healthy long discussion on this topic. Not so. $120 million of free tax cash is within their fingertips, so why not start the perverting of local journalism early by speeding it through the Legislature.

Submit an online testimony here (hit testimony tab).

— Help us stop the $120 million Google Tax and government sponsored journalism:  Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).