Portland Rain Tax Dilemma

Modern cities, like Portland, need infrastructure like drains, culverts, and treatment facilities for stormwater management.

• Without these, parts of the city would flood after storms and runoff could become contaminated, requiring treatment before entering rivers.
• Stormwater management facilities are costly and costs are covered by fees based on the sq. footage of impervious surfaces, billed with water and sewer services.
• Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) targets the 800+ overwater structures for additional stormwater fees.
• Overwater property owners already pay fees for on-land sections, even if they don't use city infrastructure.
• On-land sections of these properties often manage stormwater privately.
• BES proposes additional fees for both impervious and permeable surfaces on overwater structures, which is puzzling, as they delay water less than impervious ones.
• This is BES's second attempt to increase fees for overwater structures.  The previous attempt resulted in the fees being found illegitimate by the city's own committee during the lawsuit.

Recommendation: City council of Portland should reject BES's proposal.

Overwater structures pay more than their fair share for stormwater infrastructure.

• These properties don't use city stormwater infrastructure.
• On-land sections of overwater properties always paid city stormwater fees.
• River shorelines next to overwater properties often have levees without storm drains.
• Many on-land sections next to overwater properties self-fund their stormwater infrastructure.
• BES shouldn't overreach fees to overwater structures that don't use city infrastructure.
• Rain on overwater structures enters the river quickly, bypassing on-land infrastructure.
• BES shouldn't change fee assessment methods for overwater properties without discussion.
• Traditionally, fees are based on impervious surfaces.
• BES's unilateral redefinition for a small 0.2% of properties is concerning.

If BES can change definitions for overwater structures, could they do the same for on-land properties?

If you want to learn more or join us in fighting the good fight for fair taxation, there's numerous resources to gain further information.

• The main landing page for the Environmental Rate Study dashboard.
• City of Portland:  Bureau of Environmental Services (BES)
• Contact Aaron Abrams, outreach coordinator for Portland BES, Aaron.abrams@portlandoregon.gov with any specific questions
  
• Rate study which contains recommendations for the proposed fees - https://www.portland.gov/bes/rate-study
• Bulletin from Portland BES reporting information about the proposed fees - BES Rate Study Project Update: October 10, 2023 (govdelivery.com)
• How to engage with the Portland City Council - https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/engage-council
• How to testify before the Portland City Council - https://www.portland.gov/council/agenda

Below is the Rain Tax blog, "The Taxing Issue", which will continue to have updates on the issue and how they pertain to the community and businesses.