This measure asks voters to impose a tax on property to pay for projects to reduce risks (not rebuild) from disasters. The tax would end after 20 years. The measure asks voters to say yes or no at the next general election.

The measure asks voters to impose a tax on property at a rate of $1 per $1,000 of the property’s real market value to pay for projects to reduce perceived risks from disasters. The tax would end after 20 years, where any remaining monies would be put into the General Fund. Do disaster risks end in 20 years, when did a tax ever really end?

The bill tries to present this tax as a separate tax from the property tax limitation in Article XI by saying: The tax imposed by this section is not subject to section 11 or 11b of this Article. However, Article XI clearly describes the limits on taxing property and a new law should not be able to say it doesn’t apply. Oregonians voted for those limits, not just to fund schools and local bonds, but all taxes imposed on their property.

This is Oregon’s North Carolina flood or LA fire going after our land along with their wildfire risk “management” bill, which is canceling or raising everyone’s insurance bills, plus dropping the salability of the property. Now they want to add a property tax on top of the constitutional limits of 3%. The low income who were helped to get into affordable housing are now hit with another property tax risking their ability to stay in their homes. Those homeless will find it more difficult to find affordable housing.

We might ask if this is a hidden bridge fund or to pay to finish the capitol restructuring that is 400% over budget. It meets the criteria.

EMAIL RULES COMMITTEE

Rep.BenBowman@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.ChristineDrazan@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.HaiPham@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.LucettaElmer@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.JasonKropf@OregonLegislature.gov
Rep.AndreaValderrama@OregonLegislature.gov