Commercial, labor taxes among ideas to raise $2 billion for Oregon schools

The Legislature's Joint Subcommittee on Revenue has moved forward with discussions on three potential tax options that would create revenue specifically for Oregon's schools, totaling more than $660 million per year.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown wants to raise nearly $2 billion for education in the 2019-21 biennium and she's tasked the Joint Committee on Student Success with making it happen.

The committee, comprised of 14 senators and representatives from both sides of the aisle, has been meeting since January 2018 to study the most critical issues in schools today — including disruptive behaviors in class and a lack of mental health counselors — then brainstorm ways to make the proposed solutions reality.

The subcommittee on revenue has begun hearing logistics from the Legislative Revenue Office on certain ideas. They heard three possible tax options at their meeting Tuesday evening, each of which includes a reduction in personal income tax rates.

Read more: https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/education/2019/03/28/education-oregon-legislature-governor-kate-brown-taxes/3270267002/