I’m sympathetic to peoples’ concern that the city hasn’t been good stewards of peoples’ money - you know this after looking at Prosper Portland, of course - but that’s pretty easily solved with increased oversight rather than more austerity

Local govt cannot borrow and run a deficit/debt like federal though. "Austerity" isn't really applicable here

If I want your opinion I will ask for it

Exactly right

I am so curious where this narrative came from, it isn't even close.

Its genesis comes out of a report titled “Nineteen Facts” by the Tax Advisory Group, which presents a pretty slapdash analysis of the relationship between top marginal taxes and migration patterns. We published a critique www.portland.gov/council/dist...

Who is we in this case? Did you pay consultants to write up what you wanted them to? Will you push back on P4A paying marketing consultants to justify their program? Do you have principles? Please share them. Why aren't you talking about the Reach Residents? www.wweek.com/outdoors/202...

If Preschool for All was functional, we could at least say, “but we have free preschool.” We can’t say that because only 20% of state licensed programs are part of Preschool for All. Sad waste of half a billion dollars still sitting in the County coffers.

You are correct. It’s second highest. The combined state and local top income tax rate for Portland residents is nearly 14.8%, making it the second highest in the country after New York City. Oregon's top income tax rate of 9.9% applies to income levels starting at $125,000 for single filers,

a SIGNIFICANTLY lower threshold compared to other states with high taxes like California or New York, where the top rate applies to incomes exceeding $1 million.

Ask any physician, lawyer, or small business owner about their top marginal tax rate.

In Oregon, the top marginal tax rate is 9.9% on anything over $250,000 for couples filing jointly. As a family in that tax bracket, we're fine with that. Corporations should pay more, but since you wanted to know? Hi, I'm here saying it's fine.

When I made $12000 (twelve thousand, not a typo) in 2013, I wrote a check to the state of Oregon for $900. I’m glad you recognize the value of living here, but please take note that the tax burden is very high for those living in poverty in Oregon. Thankfully, that was a single year blip for me.

I was in a similar situation around that time (had kids but ex claimed them both). I still think (a) corporations should pay more & (b) people in my tax bracket should shut the fuck up and pay their due.

The corporation piece is tricky. Why not just tax the rich executives who run the corporation?

We can do both.

But it dilutes the message. The “Tax Corporations” ends up with opponents claiming it will cause an increase in prices of goods as we saw how @powells.bsky.social torpedoed the last ballot measure that did this. Why not go all in on taxing the rich?

As much as I love the bookstore itself, I cannot say publicly what I think of the Powell family due to professional considerations, but I will stand ten toes down on "we can do both."

Research how ESCO sold for tax free billions after spending a century polluting the Willamette River and the surrounding neighborhood, and get back to me about how to tax that. Then I might be swayed to your argument.

If I can be taxed on the sale of my home over a certain amount, businesses can be taxed when they get sold, too. I'm an attorney, not an accountant or economist, but it isn't as though the framework doesn't exist.

I think you might be surprised how many families find a $2500 tax bill to be a burden.

It's a marginal rate. Meaning 9.9% on anything *above* $250K. So if their additional tax is $2,500, their household AGI is $275,000. I am not going to be sympathetic toward someone earning more than $1/4million complaining about taxes. I've lived on less than $20K/year, the wealthy can suck it up.

I know what their top marginal tax rates are and I know how much they make. I also know those rates aren’t the highest in the country and that most people don’t pay the top marginal rates. Most people aren’t doctors, lawyers and business owners.

Top tax rates in NY kick in for income over 25m. Top tax in CA kick in at 1.4m. Portland top tax rates kick in at 400k. Very hard to find a city with higher taxes in the 400k - 1m range. Have you noticed that all the doctors and lawyers offices are moving out to Tigard and Hillsboro?

If you're talking about the Metro SHS & PFA taxes, that's 1% & 1.5% respectively on incomes over $200,000 (joint). Meaning if your AGI is $300,000, you owe a whopping $2,500, which directly goes to supporting children & marginalized people. Oh no! That's so much! Better that families suffer!

(for the record, it's not actually anywhere near that much, but even if it were, seriously that's $200/mo. That's 2 dinners out for a family of 4. Not exactly hard to cut back enough to cover it when you make mid-six figures)

I support the tax, period, but there are folks with high income on paper with a heavy overall financial burden (kids, parents) that’s significantly increased in the last 2 years. I don’t think these people are moving, but it is annoying that much wealthier people w/o traditional income pay far less.

Oh don't get me wrong, investment income, corporations, etc. need to pay WAY the heck more. But as someone in the 2nd highest federal tax bracket & the highest state one, if someone has that income on paper, even with expenses (which I also have), I do not have sympathy for a request to lower ours.

There are ways to lower your AGI, including itemizing if your expenses are way outside the norm (e.g. medical expenses more than a certain %age of income). I'm ok with 1% of my income over $200K going to help people who are homeless. Should businesses pay more? Yes. But 1% isn't a hardship on 6figs.