Commissioner Adams' proposed changes, cosponsored by Potter, Saltzman and Sten makes investments in Portland's "small business and entrepreneurial class"

Portland, OR - New, smaller and Portland-based businesses - up to an estimated 9,000 of them - will get $3 million worth of tax relief under a plan proposed by City Commissioner Sam Adams and cosponsored by Mayor Tom Potter and Commissioners Dan Saltzman and Erik Sten.

"The foundation of a strong, sustainable Portland economy is the family-wage job," Adams said. "Portland businesses are not fleeing the City, but job creation and wage rates in Portland lag behind those in the region as a whole. Portland can help boost job creation among smaller, locally-owned businesses by reducing their city business fee burden."

The Resolution will be considered by the Portland City Council on Thursday, January 18th, 2007 at 3:30pm, at Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave.

Adams' proposal to reform the Business Licensee Fee offers a three-fold approach:

• Increase the Owners Compensation Deduction from $60,000 to $80,000

• Increase the Gross Receipts Exemption from $25,000 to $50,000

• Institute a progressive minimum tax increase based on the number of employees, gross receipts in Portland or a combination of the two options. Revenues generated from the minimum fee increase would be allocated for further increase to the Owners Compensation Deduction to $125,000. The Resolution states, "the Portland City Council intends to increase the BLF Owner's Compensation Deduction to $125,000 within five years."

"Over the past two years, I have been working on tax reform that would help address the inequities of the BLF and focus tax relief for small businesses," Adams said. "These changes accomplish both of these goals."

Relevant Documents

• Resolution [0] to reform Business License Fee (DOC)
• Presentation - Exhibit A [0] (PDF)
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• Five Year Forecast [0] (PDF)
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