Here's what I want to hear Charlie Hales say:

“This is just silly. Let's forget the whole thing.”

I WILL BE WAITING UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOMENT TO PAY THIS TAX, BECAUSE I REMAIN CONVINCED IT WILL END UP IN COURT AND SOME JUDGE WILL THROW THE WHOLE THING OUT.

OR I'LL PAY $35 AND NOT FEEL TOO TERRIBLE ABOUT IT. BUT IT WON'T BE UNTIL APRIL 15.

I still have yet to hear how this doesn't count as an illegal head/poll tax. Also, it's going to cost the city way more in collections processing fees to get $35 from people than the actual $35.

If I'm going to spend $35 on the arts, I'll go to the theater. I don't need a committee of bureaucrats taking my money and deciding what they think art is.

Remember that the school funding was an afterthought. The original purpose of this thing is to have some political appointees choosing the winners and losers in Portland's arts world based on politics and their own taste.

I ain't paying it. I haven't heard any explanation yet of how they think they're going to track people down. How do they know who lives where and whether or not they're employed and if so how much money they've made?

Nathan?

Agreed Grahm....
Once this thing is found un-constitutional, which seems logical, then will the city pay it back with interest?

What if I take $35 in art supplies to the elementary school near my house? Maybe the school could give me a note I could submit in lieu of the tax?

I'm not paying $35 to these politicos to tell me what is and what isn't art or deserving of my $35. I voted no on this when it was a ballot-measure and I'll continue to vote no by not paying it.
Good luck tracking me down and forcing me to cough up $35.

I'm assuming that all of you file state and federal tax returns around this time of year -- i imagine it wouldn't be too hard for the art tax folks to track down non-payers using that info...