Alan Sylvestre / OPB
TriMet board members signaled Wednesday they're likely to increase payroll taxes in the years to come.
Oregon lawmakers in 2009 voted to authorize TriMet to increase payroll and self-employment taxes. But they conditioned any increase on an improvement in the region's economy.
Now that the economy has improved, the TriMet board is moving to raise payroll taxes .10 percent, over the next 10 years. The increase sounds small, but Marion Haynes with the Portland Business Alliance said it can add up.
"We have heard from employers, some of which we don't often hear from, that this particular increase, well, frankly, it's a 'doozy' for them," Haynes said. "They've run the numbers, and they're concerned."
Board members said the increase is needed to meet growing demand. TriMet resisted calls for a smaller increase, but board members seemed willing to review the tax, after five years.
Travis Stovall was among the board members willing to include the review, grudgingly, saying "I'm not a big fan of it."
The tax increase is scheduled for a final vote in September.