We need a Metro kicker

I see that the Metro income tax, which was supposed to bring in $250 million a year to be thrown at the "homeless" problem in Portland and surrounding communities, is now expected to bring in nearly $1 billion more than originally budgeted over the next six years.

In 2021, the first year of the tax, Metro collected $240 million. In 2022, that number grew to $337 million. Metro estimates that for the fiscal year 2023, which ends in June 2024, the tax will bring in at least $357 million. Revenue is supposed to hold steady over the next six years.

Multiple billions, and how's it going so far? I'm driving around inner Portland and seeing the same apocalyptic nightmare I saw before this "tax the rich" scheme became law. In some ways, the situation has gotten worse. But a lot of nonprofit executive directors' mortgages are being paid, that we know.

When the State of Oregon collects more than budgeted in personal income tax, it's required to give the excess back to the taxpayers. We need a similar law for local income-based taxes. Otherwise, the cities, the counties, Metro, Tri-Met, the Port, and the rest will bleed us dry only to pour the blood down the usual rat holes.

And at both state and local levels, we need a taxpayers' bill of rights, so that when the revenuers show up at your door, they're not allowed to be absolute cutthroats, the way the City of Portland tax collectors tend to be.

Tell this to Kate Lieber (when she gets back from Portugal), Lew Frederick, and the other innocuous-looking people we send to Salem to represent us, but who inevitably sell us out at every turn. At election time, they coast to victory. But they shouldn't.