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Business growth and regulation issues

At the request of the Portland Business Alliance and neighborhood business associations, both the City of Portland and Multnomah County moved to reduce the burden of the city business license fee (BLF) and the county business income tax (BIT). These local income fees and taxes are some of the highest in the nation and create a significant disincentive to business expansion and recruitment in the city. They are particularly hard on small businesses.

The changes made in 2007 increased the gross receipts exemption from $25,000 to $50,000 and the owner's compensation deduction from $61,500 to $80,000. While these were welcome changes, they were only the first installment in a plan to bring the owners compensation deduction up to $125,000 over a five-year period.

The Alliance is again reaching out to neighborhood business associations and small business owners to communicate the importance of this reform to the growth of small business in the Portland region. If you are concerned about this issue and would like to communicate your thoughts to the city and county contact Bernie Bottomly at 503.224.8684.

See the Alliance's letter to elected officials

The Portland Business Alliance is supporting the Working Waterfront Coalition's current concerns about the city's River Plan. The Alliance will collaborate with the coalition on policies relating to transportation and freight mobility, harbor related employment land supply and regulatory framework that impacts the harbor economically.

The Alliance's concerns about the River Plan are:

• The 15 percent landscape restoration requirement, which could result in the loss of jobs and economic activity in the city by removing productive harbor land.
• It conflicts with current policy such as the city's Economic Development Plan and its goal of adding jobs in industrial areas such as the harbor.

Review a copy of the River Plan