MEMBERSERVICES
 

North Clackamas County Chamber opposes Measures 66 & 67
 

After discussing concerns on both sides of the Legislative Assembly’s proposed tax increases, the Chamber Board of Directors voted to oppose both measures: Ballot Measure 66, which would increase income taxes for many small businesses and Ballot Measure 67, which would increase taxes on corporations. 

The Chamber has traditionally been supportive of local tax measures that preserved and enhanced the region’s infrastructure, both human and physical, because those measures benefitted area businesses.  The Board concluded, however, that the Legislative Assembly’s proposed tax increases were inconsistent with the Chamber’s “commitment to a vibrant business environment.” 

Before the Board’s vote, the Chamber hosted an issues event at which supporters and opponents presented their cases, and the Chamber’s Public Policy Team, which vets public policy issues that affect area businesses, debated the measures. 

Citing harm to businesses, the Board identified several features of the measures that led to the Board’s opposition.  The tax increases (1) would be permanent, not just for the duration of the recession; (2) cause the loss of private sector jobs; (3) are, in the case of minimum taxes, based on gross revenues, not net income; and (4) are retroactive to 2009, adding additional costs foe which businesses could not budget.

A major concern of the Board was that opposition to the measures would interfere with the close relationship that the Chamber has enjoyed with House Speaker Dave Hunt.  The Speaker has consistently supported the infrastructure improvements that the area needs to foster a vibrant business environment. In the end, the Board's great respect for the Speaker did not outweigh the concerns expressed by the Chamber's members: that these particular tax increases are not good for business. 

As a voice for business in the region, and serving 600 member accounts with 26,500 employees, the Chamber “needed to be a strong voice for members.”  And members were asking for opposition.