A couple of years ago Salem voted-down a tax measure that would’ve funded Salem transit with a business payroll tax.  Senate majority leader, Peter Kortney, was so upset about the defeat, so he introduced SB 1521 last year.  1521 would have imposed a tax of 0.185 percent — or $1.85 per $1,000 — directly on workers’ pay, but thankfully the proposed bill died before a senate vote. 

Now this year, as Salem claims to have a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, they have proposed a massive $8.2 billion transportation package that includes, “a new statewide payroll tax of 0.1 percent charged to all Oregon workers to pay for local bus and other mass transit services. The payroll tax would come directly out of employees’ paychecks…”

This tax would hit everybody, non-transit users and the low-income working stiff, and offers a stark contrast with LTD’s catered and lavished luncheons during all their board meetings.