Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Portland / News / Transportation Metro's Revolt against the 'Oregon Tax Revolt'?
Posted by Denis C. Theriault on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 3:52 PM
Got a few hours? How about days?
Metro's chief operating officer, Michael Jordan, released his Community Investment Strategy today. Basically, it's a blueprint/wishlist for how and where Metro, along with politicians across the region, should aim the next few decades of inexorable sprawl.
Among the highlights us non-wonks might care about, especially those non-wonks who get a property tax bill every fall? To help spur tens of billions in new development, voters could be asked to remove "existing statutory limitations on local revenue-raising authority."
Translated: Screw property tax caps! We need more dough!
"That could be a possibility. But there are a lot of possibilities," explained Karen Kane, a spokeswoman for Metro. "We need to look at all of them."
Coming up: Will you even have a house left to tax?
That could depend. Metro also suggests ripping up low-slung swaths of single-family homes and storefronts for something more dense. (Kind of like Metro's planning documents.) Imagine two- and three-story condo developments looming over Lake Oswego's main drag, or townhouses sprouting from the bones of shriveled service stations and parking lots in places like Lents.
Also proposed is diverting more development cash to downtowns and Main Streets throughout Metro's 25-city, three-county dominion.
Jordan was out today to talk up the story. According to the Portland Tribune, the region will need to spend as much as $41 billion on infrastructure improvements in the next 50 years, with $10 billion just to maintain existing infrastructure. Today's funding sources, Jordan said at this morning's news conference, would pay for only half of that.
Metro is hoping we'll come out to a series of community meetings and open houses to weigh in. In November, before the recommendations are voted on in December, look for a public hearing in each of the counties Metro governs.
And good news for the lucky citizen who actually wants to study up before showing up! You'll only have to read 600 pages!
UPDATE 5:15 PM: I just received even more information about what kinds of "revenue-raising authority" Metro is contemplating. Beyond the so-called "toxic touchpoints" of Measures 47 and 50, planners are licking their chops over new local excise taxes on booze, smokes, construction projects, gasoline and motel rooms (dirty and/or clean).
Even those'll be a fight. But you might want to smoke 'em/drink 'em/build 'em/drive 'em/get laid in 'em — for cheap — while you can!
2
3
Of course he'll probably be the first one to complain about all the mentally ill people roaming the streets because they won't cut anything like construction that is creating jobs. It will be funding for the mentally ill and schools that suffer.
A more proper response might have been "fix something." As in Republicans Bill Sizemore and Kevin Mannix's Measures 5, 47, and 11 which are largely the cause of nobody having funding for anything anymore.
5
Because of Measure 5, and the fact that about 15 years ago my house was worth almost nothing, I currently pay $800/year in property taxes and it goes up by 3% a year, (the maximum that the law allows.) That, combined with my income taxes (on my above median salary,) when will I have paid off the debt on sending myself to elementary school? Most likely, never because I barely make the interest payments at current interest rates.
Part of the reason Metro wants to knock down houses and build new buildings is because it is the only way to raise the taxes by more than 3%/yr. It is completely messed up, but it is their only choice if the governments don't want to go bankrupt. In California they have similar laws to Measure 5 about how fast your taxes can rise, however the assessed value resets when the house is sold, but in Oregon you get to keep the assessed value from the previous owner even though it is obvious that the real value is quite a bit more than that (since someone just paid that much.)
I'd totally support this rule change, in fact, I'd support almost any rule change. We have to do something.
6
7
I think the real frustration here is that I am paying my fair share but suspect someone else is not. I'm definitely not one of those "government does nothing right" guys.
8
Good catch on the excise taxes. Did the Trib and the O bother to ask? I think the legislature would have to enable that and the combo of rural counties casting a suspicious eye on Portland and taxes, as well as special interest lobbyists, have turned those specific taxes back before. But I would be for adjusting property taxes at each sale above the 3% per year cap, including on tax sheltered condos, cutting short the break, but that would take a constitutional amendment. It would be the "Oregon Property Tax Fairness Act for New Buyers"(TM).
9
What region are you living in? The 26 municipalities in this region are constantly bickering and fighting over limited state and federal funds. JPACT would be a step in the right direction if it were proportionally appropriate and actually worked.
To make it work and to better serve all those 26 cities, we NEED an expansion of Metro functions to plan, finance and evaluate transportation and infrastructure around the region.
10
Most Commented on Blogtown, PDX
-
City's "Overnight Sleeping" Program Finds First Host—and Neighbors React in Ugly Fashion by Denis C. Theriault
-
Oh, Did You Think The Great Gatsby Movie Was Going to Be Good? by Alison Hallett
-
Happy World Goth Day! by Marjorie Skinner
-
Feds Dish Out $745.2 Million to the Light Rail by Alex Zielinski
-
Game of Thrones Recap: Calm Before the Storm Edition by Joe Streckert
-
Good Morning, News! by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Portland Button Works Opens on Killingsworth by Alison Hallett
-
We're Number One! by Alex Zielinski
-
Ye Olde Underground Loo by Alex Zielinski
-
Mapping Destruction: City Releases Locations of Portland Hazards by Nathan Gilles
Our Friends
- UrbanHonking
- Culture Shock
- Portland Roundball Society
- Steph Cassano
- Cort and Fatboy
- Street Roots
- Powell's Books Blog
- Portland Transport
- Portland Afoot
- Bike Portland
- Eater: PDX
- Portland Food and Drink
- Mr. Movie
- Sunday Softball
- BlueOregon
- Sightline Institute
- Ultra: Arts Portland
- Bitch Magazine
- Blazer's Edge
- Reading Local: Portland
- Portland Food Carts
- Stumptown Vegans
Our Enemies
The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (10) RSS