Portland officials decided Wednesday to push the deadline for the city’s arts tax to July 15.
The move comes hours after Gov. Kate Brown announced she will delay the due date for personal income tax filings in the state. Those filings, like the ones due to the federal government, will also be due July 15.
Portland’s Office of Management and Finance said Wednesday they are still waiting on “formal guidance” from the Oregon Department of Revenue before deciding whether to extend the deadline of business taxes. The city has temporarily stopped collection on past due taxes.
The Portland Arts Tax is a $35 annual tax that goes toward the city’s school teachers and nonprofits focused on art. Residents who are 18 and older are required to pay the tax if they earn more than $1,000 each year and are in a household above the federal poverty level.
Controversy has followed the city’s arts tax since voters approved it in 2012. Critics have accused it of being poorly-implemented with heavy penalties and aggressive enforcement tactics used on those who fail to pay.
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