It’s time to fork over that yearly $35 art tax… or else. The tax is due April 17 and can be paid online at the city’s website—and if you fail to pay, you can be fined an additional $35. The only exceptions to the rule are those who make less than $1,000 a year and those under 18.
“It is our hope that most Portlanders will choose to file and pay online,” Revenue Division Director Thomas Lannom said in a press release. “Paying online is fast and easy, and keeps administration costs lower so more money flows to schools and arts organizations.”
The cost of administering the tax is a big deal—back when voters passed the tax in 2010, it promised to keep administrative costs under five percent of the total revenues from the tax. In recent years, however, the city’s Revenue Division has spent close to 9 percent of the arts tax cash it collects trying to get citizens pay their $35.
But there are benefits to this regressive art tax: the money goes to arts education for grade schoolers in the Portland area. So far, the tax has pulled in nearly $48 million for those kids, funding 60 teaching positions across six school districts. Pay up!