As the Democrats have already proved with their support of Measures 66 & 67, it’s open season on Oregon businesses. News of the 22% increase in personal income taxes for the “rich” people, also known as small business, has gotten around. News of the sales taxes on all sales, regardless of profit, has gotten around.
And now Nevada’s come knocking.
First out of the gate was Nevada Business Connections, a private industry recruitment group headquartered in Carson City, that launched an initiative last week to sell Oregon companies on the benefits of moving to Nevada.
The initiative dubbed the “Oregon Trail to Nevada Task Force” targets Oregon companies that are unhappy with higher taxes in the state. Voters last month approved a measure that sets the highest income tax rate in Oregon at 11 percent, and OK’d a second measure that boosts business taxes.
The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, meanwhile, fielded calls from a couple of major employers in Oregon within days of the passage of the tax law.
“Oregon has become the low-hanging fruit,” said Kevin Frausto, an EDAWN business development manager.
From those first few calls, Frausto said he believes some large companies in Oregon may be looking to relocate to Nevada’s tax-friendly environment.
“We’re here to answer the call,” he said.
Ridge
*Update from Joe the Small Business Owner in reaction
You were warned that this was going to cost you more than you would make, and so the competitive real world process of luring companies away and out of the state begins…How would you like to have your business referred to as the low hanging fruit…that is what Oregon’s business climate is now being referred to on a national basis…you might just as well close your chamber’s of commerce and send the money to the state employees union. These measures are going to backfire, and I doubt the chamber is going to be able to attract any new companies. I would love to know how many new unemployment cases were filed the day after the measures passed.
