Grants Pass, OR asked in Tax Law for Oregon

Q: Eugene OR - payroll tax passed by City Council. Non-residents (can't vote for or against) subject to tax. Is that legal?

Seems like taxation without representation to this layperson.

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1 Lawyer Answer

A: It certainly can feel that way, the problem is that there is no right to representation before being taxed. That was a revolutionary slogan. If you drive through a random city and get gas you're paying gas tax without representation or sales tax or excise tax, etc... Washington DC has been taxed without representation since it came into existence, they put it on their license plates. Ultimately as frustrating as it is there's not much you can do about unless you want to move into the area so you get a vote, or you can change jobs. At the end of the day it's not illegal to tax people who didn't get a vote.

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