This column is brought to you by Bess Wills, owner of Gresham Ford. Sponsored Content.

While I have been extremely worried about a piece of legislation (and have been reaching out to legislators on behalf of our industry) for the past several weeks, I was assured by people with more insight than I, that it would go nowhere…. well on Friday it went somewhere….

I am now reaching out to you, the public, on behalf of Gresham Ford and all working-class citizens, to please engage before we are hit with one of the largest tax increases in Oregon’s history. It includes a fifteen-cent increase in gas taxes, auto registration fee increases of 270%, a 2 % tax on every new vehicle sold, a 1% tax on used vehicles over $10,000, a payroll tax increase, an increase in the privilege tax on all autos, weight and mileage tax and much more….  These are all taxes that will be paid by working people.  Buy diamond rings, designer handbags, big screen TVs, stay at luxury hotels, buy the best whiskey, a leather jacket, a yacht, no increase in taxes. But buy a car and pay the already existing CAT (Corporate Activity Tax), Privilege Tax, and now a 2% (they call it a transfer tax) and pay more for the registration.  It saddens me that a single mom who just needs reliable safe transportation for her and her children will be subject to the same tax as someone who can afford to buy all those luxury goods.

 A car payment is a huge percentage of the average working person’s budget so, most likely this Senator, who was instrumental in moving this forward and resides in Lake Oswego, does not understand the average family’s budget.   The testimony for this bill was two to one against it yet they moved it forward. Seems like no one is listening.  There are other resources and belt notches to tighten so this is not necessary.  Please reach out to your State Representatives at https://gov.oregonlive.com/legislators/ and say the “Transportation Bill” needs to go bye-bye!