Portland City Council is set to review changes to the arts tax (Beaverton: renters, car registration)

[Dom1964]

This is theft by government, pure and simple.

what happened to the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this head tax?

Originally Posted by Dom1964

This is theft by government, pure and simple.

what happened to the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this head tax?

It got thrown out by the Oregon Tax Court. I couldn't find anything about it after that, other than the guy vowing to fight on.

[redguard57]

I have no problem with the idea - funding arts education is one of the best bang for the buck things government can do. There's a clear relationship between arts education at young ages and college performance later on.

However, it seems that the overhead is being poorly administered and any increases need to go to the voters.

[freemkt]

Originally Posted by Dom1964

This is theft by government, pure and simple.

what happened to the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of this head tax?

A judge ruled it's not an unconstitutional head tax because it's not universal, i.e. because SOME people don't have to pay it.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by redguard57

I have no problem with the idea - funding arts education is one of the best bang for the buck things government can do. There's a clear relationship between arts education at young ages and college performance later on.

However, it seems that the overhead is being poorly administered and any increases need to go to the voters.

Oh I completely agree. There is clear evidence that shows the return on investment in arts education is exponential.

[bler144]

I lean liberal but voted against the Arts Tax. It was pretty obviously a bad idea to just implement a new tax structure (after all, you need collections, plus enforcement, plus yada yada) on a whim, even if the cause was sound.

So I think it's a terrible idea, and many of these proposed patches are really just attempts to band-aid over the original problems.

That said, I find some of the specific objections to proposed changes to be a bit myopic. If you make $100,000 in Portland and a proposed $15-65 increase in the tax is prompting you to move out of the city, you're doing something wrong. Just the cost of moving is likely to run hundreds of dollars to move your household and all the junk you probably own. I have a bit more sympathy for families, bit again, the tax is a pretty small cog in your overall finances.

It's great to make a principled stand, sure, but at some point you're chewing off your nose to spite your face.

That said, if wealthy people fleeing the city in droves pushes down demand for housing and lowers housing prices (fat chance, but one can dream), then hey, bonus!

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by bler144

I lean liberal but voted against the Arts Tax. It was pretty obviously a bad idea to just implement a new tax structure (after all, you need collections, plus enforcement, plus yada yada) on a whim, even if the cause was sound.

So I think it's a terrible idea, and many of these proposed patches are really just attempts to band-aid over the original problems.

That said, I find some of the specific objections to proposed changes to be a bit myopic. If you make $100,000 in Portland and a proposed $15-65 increase in the tax is prompting you to move out of the city, you're doing something wrong. Just the cost of moving is likely to run hundreds of dollars to move your household and all the junk you probably own. I have a bit more sympathy for families, bit again, the tax is a pretty small cog in your overall finances.

It's great to make a principled stand, sure, but at some point you're chewing off your nose to spite your face.

That said, if wealthy people fleeing the city in droves pushes down demand for housing and lowers housing prices (fat chance, but one can dream), then hey, bonus!

My thoughts exactly, though I do like the idea of funding the arts.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

My thoughts exactly, though I do like the idea of funding the arts.

Yes - it is clear that you are almost always for "funding" things with other people's money.
Here' a novel idea - get government out of the arts support business.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Yes - it is clear that you are almost always for "funding" things with other people's money.
Here' a novel idea - get government out of the arts support business.

A city and government can and should do both. And last time I checked, I pay taxes, so it is my money too.

[VTHokieFan]

I haven't paid it the last two years because I know it's an unenforceable tax. Now that over 1/3 of the city hasn't paid, I am REALLY not going to pay it. I mean are they going to sends 170,000 people to collections?