Get Ready For A New Tax (Portland, Clackamas: city hall, buying a house, buying)

[WaikikiBoy]

I recently read about the new tax being proposed and pushed by the City Council. It is being masked as a "Fee" to avoid a public vote and will like pass the city council next week.

It will start with a new $6.00/month. The second yr it goes up to $9.00/month. The third yr it goes up to $12/month. The "fee" will be added to your water bill. There is no cap. And there is no end.

The money would be used to hire 25 more city employees. The balance would be used as 10% for sidewalk improvements. 40% for bike lanes. 50% for roads.

If this were to go to the ballot, would you support it? And do you think Portland has high taxes already, low taxes or just right?

[urbanlife78]

I would support it, but not through the water bill. There should be a more effective way of doing this.

[Nell Plotts]

This irritates me no end.

Do not like. Perhaps if the city wasted less money elsewhere, they'd be able to fix the potholes and maybe finally get around to paving the streets in east Portland.

City Hall will just have an extra several million dollars per year to squander.

[skiffrace]

Portlanders seem genetically unable to say 'no' to any tax hike, esp. if the tax-raising authority jingles the 'it's good for the children', or 'it's good for the environment' bell (a very crude hint to those who love children and/or the environment: the tax raising authorities are saying 'a thing that isn't')

A practical take-away point: musing about buying a house? Think Washington or Clackamas county.

Fiscally - responsible county governments, lower property taxes, lower crime, and typically as livable and 'walkable' as anywhere within the city proper.

[Steve Pickering]

Fees are the new TAX. No vote of the people and can be set at any level. Watch who you vote for.

[pdwpdx]

How can the city want raise taxes/fees on citizens, and then try to sell city-owned land to developers at 1/4 the appraised value?

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by pdwpdx

How can the city want raise taxes/fees on citizens, and then try to sell city-owned land to developers at 1/4 the appraised value?

They can because the voters made the wrong choices, and those who would have made the right choices didn't vote.

[eric351982]

I think 40% for bike lanes seems a bit steep! Unless we start taxing cyclists.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by eric351982

I think 40% for bike lanes seems a bit steep! Unless we start taxing cyclists.

Cyclists in the city already pay taxes.