Portland Could Tax the Air That You Breath to Fix Budget Problems

Portland Oregon had three years to fix prepare and come up with a funding solution the Portland Public Schools System (PPSS) that they run. Of course they did not, and so at the "last minute" everyone in the administration are panicking over how to make up $50 million dollars a year shortfall to fund it at the under funded level that it was before.

The solution is simple: Tax the air that people breath.

The people in Portland do not want to pay more tax, they consider themselves overtaxed and the money they do pay badly spent. Example: Portland's sewage solution just HIDES the problem of sewage overflow but does nothing to prevent it. It is how Portland has been run for the past 50 years. Hide problems instead of solving them.

Taxing the local community if not an option so what you always do is tax people who have NO legal option to complain: tax those that do not live IN Portland but WORK in Portland.

The state already does this: It taxes people living in Washington through income tax. Portland can pass a vehicle tax - which uses the air people breath - and make anyone who works within Portland, delivers to Portland, or just drives into and stops within the city pay a $120 a year in an "air quality" fee - can't call it a tax but you can charge fees and raise them without any problem. 

The state does it to truckers - they must get permits to travel on Oregon roads - so there is already a precedent to tax people who do not live in your state to travel through.

Like in other states that apply stickers to show that you paid vehicle tax, Portland would do the same for any vehicle that parks within the city.

The ever present parking patrols would just see if there is a sticker on a vehicle, if not a $10 "air quality enforcement citation" is placed on the car.

The best part is that since so many people live outside Portland but work in the city, they can complain to their elected officials all they want and nothing could be done about it - their elected officials have no authority over Portland!

It is the "golden glow" that comes over any taxing authority: Tax people who have no elected official to speak on their behalf to the taxing authority and the money collected does not have to be spent on the people who paid it.

And finally, they will have a way to tax the air that you breath - all for the public good.