No state has fallen further in terms of tax competitiveness than Oregon in the past six years, according to the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan, boardroom-friendly think tank that has studied U.S. taxes for 88 years.

Since July 1, 2019, the Beaver State has fallen from eighth to 35th in the foundation’s State Tax Competitiveness Index, mostly because lawmakers that year passed a corporate activity tax to fund public schools.

The swoon in ratings comes amid a heated debate over taxes, especially in Portland, where special levies for homeless services and preschool make marginal rates among the highest in the nation.

Oregon levies the CAT on individuals and businesses that have more than $1 million in business receipts, with some exceptions, including gas, groceries, and the “sale of fluid

See Full Page