Amid runaway inflation, Oregon Democrats are bringing multiple spending packages out of Ways and Means, and the Senate Republicans voted to cut taxes on prescription drugs and items necessary for Oregon families.

Senator Lynn Findley (R-Vale) made a motion to withdraw SB 1507 from the Finance & Revenue Committee, where the bill has been blocked by majority Democrats this session.

The bill would exempt prescription drugs, diapers, baby formula, and feminine hygiene products from the corporate activities tax. Democrats don't seem to want that to happen.

The effort was blocked by Democrats along a party-line vote, 8-16. Senator Rachel Armitage​ (D-Scappoose), Senator Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), Senator Lew Frederick (D-Portland), Senator Sara Gelser Blouin (D-Corvallis), Senator Jeff Golden (D-Ashland), Senator Chris Gorsek (D-Portland), Senator Kayse Jama (D-Portland), Senator Akasha Lawrence Spence (D-Portland), Senator Kate Lieber (D-Beaverton), Senator James I. Manning Jr. (D-Eugene), Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene), Representative Janeen Sollman (D-Hillsboro), Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward (D-Portland), Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Portland), and Senator Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) all voted no to this exemption that would lead to lower prices for Oregonians. Observers say that the Democrats may want to retain this revenue in order to fund pet projects.

They instead are moving forward a more narrow provision in SB 1524 that would reaffirm taxes on most Oregonians’ prescription drugs, by only exempting those with nine or fewer locations.

“Most Oregonians don’t realize we have a sales tax here in Oregon,” Senator Findley said. “They don’t think they are paying a sales tax when they buy their prescriptions, diapers, or baby formula. Make no mistake, the hidden sales tax of 2019 is costing Oregonians more and putting pharmacies out of business.

“Some will pat themselves on the back for voting for SB 1524 which picked only select pharmacies to exempt from these taxes. It doesn’t go far enough and reaffirms taxes on the majority of Oregonians' prescription drugs. I don’t want anyone paying taxes on these items. We need to make health care more affordable and accessible, and SB 1507 would have been a more comprehensive approach to accomplish that goal.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Provisions within SB 1524 would not have saved Bi-Mart pharmacies from closing. Nor will it reduce the cost of prescriptions purchased at Walgreens, Walmart, or another main supplier.

Without the passage of SB 1507, Oregonians will continue to pay more for basic necessities.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-02-27 09:24:35

Last Update: 2022-02-27 15:19:25