Luxury sales tax proposed for Oregon to help low-income parents, former foster youth
A luxury sales tax being proposed by Rep. Brad Witt, D-Clatskanie, could fund a new program offering monthly stipends for low-income pregnant women and youth leaving the foster care system.
House Bill 4079 would create a 3% sales tax on snowmobiles, handbags, jewelry and firearms, among other items, over a certain price point. Oregon is one of five states with no sales tax, and voters have rejected attempts to impose sales taxes several times over the last few decades.
Witt said the proposed tax would generate about $28 million a year and fund the Oregon Freedom Pilot Program, which would supply upwards of 2,000 pregnant Oregonians and youth leaving the foster care system with $750 a month for three years on top of other state and federal benefits.
“We were looking at ways to recover from the pandemic,” Witt said, “and ways in which we can begin to break the chain of poverty so it doesn’t become a generational issue.”
Read more: https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/luxury-sales-tax-proposed-for-oregon-to-help-low-income-parents-former-foster-youth/
A chart that lists the various luxury items and the levels that the tax would be imposed is at the link.
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