Judge Reviews New Metro Homeless Tax

PORTLAND, Ore– Multnomah County Judge Steffan Alexander is looking at the legal part of the rules adopted by Metro to  collect the 1% new income tax for homeless services.  Voters in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington  counties approved it in 2020.

The legality of the rule is being challenged by a business coalition and business organizations because they’re different than those approved by the state to collect state income tax. The judge did not make a ruling on May 21st.  Persons earning 125 thousand dollars or couples earn 250 thousand dollars together would b e subject to the tax.  Businesses with earnings of 5 million dollars or more would also have to pay the tax.