Revenue sources are becoming as scarce as the proverbial "cash cow" and "golden goose". The Corvallis City Council in an effort to blunt resistance to some ideas of generating revenue for the City Coffers look as if they will settle on what is essentially a Business License Tax. After considering an increase in the hotel tax, objected to by hoteliers, and abandoning the idea of a tax on food and entertainment, obviously opposed to by the eating establishments in Corvallis, the winner or loser as it were will most likely be a Business License fee/tax. Businesses would be charged a fee ranging from $50 to $1000 depending on the number of employees. Realtors are independent contractors and would be subject to the $50 tax. The question that needs to be put on the table is how many Realtors will be driven out of the business due to the new proposal. If no one has been paying attention the real estate business has not exactly been on fire of late. Realtors need not pay an additional $50 that they most likely do not have. Gary Rodgers from Northwest Real Estate is rightly concerned about the impact this proposal would have on Realtors in particular. The Willamette Association of Realtors officially opposes the idea. The proposal would affect anyone doing business in Corvallis even if they did not have an office in Corvallis. The probability is that once this idea has been sent up the flag pole it will weather the storm of opposition and ultimately be implemented. The other point is how will it be enforced and what will be the cost to administer?
| 