Portland State University President Wim Wiewel has proposed a payroll tax—set for the November ballot—to raise $35 million a year in scholarships.
‘A payroll tax is a tax on jobs. It’s a bad vehicle. We have a very broad tax that would benefit just one institution,’ say [Portland Business Alliance] CEO, Sandra McDonough. ‘We would prefer not to see a measure on the 2016 ballot.’
Wiewel also hasn’t won friends in a year when four other measures are competing for voters to approve new taxes, particularly given that his was the latest idea proposed.
(READ MORE: Willamette Week)