HBA, Chamber Urge Salem City Council to Examine Budget Efficiencies Before Raising Taxes
The Home Builders Association of Marion & Polk Counties and Salem Area Chamber of Commerce provided public testimony to the Salem City Council on Monday, October 21st, urging the Council to further examine budget efficiencies before moving ahead with efforts to raise taxes.
The HBA and Chamber contracted with Pac/West Lobby Group to conduct focus groups with business owners from September 30th to October 8th, representing a diverse cross section of the economy. Key messages heard during those focus groups was a need for the City to pursue greater budget transparency, focus on reducing City expenses where possible, and rebuilding trust with the business community.
Salem convened a Revenue Task Force earlier this year, which presented potential revenue options to the City Council, including a property tax levy. Recent polling conducted for the City showed that voters are strongly opposed to the potential property tax increases, with less than 40% of voters expressing support. 57% of voters indicated their belief that the city is heading in the wrong direction.
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