OSCC Action Alert – Oppose HB 2674
 OPPOSE HB 2674: New off-road equipment, fuel, and tire taxes The House Committee On Energy and Environment is holding a public hearing on HB 2674 on Wednesday, March 3rd at 1:00pm. OSCC OPPOSES HB 2674, which would levy a full suite of new taxes to fund diesel engine retrofits and replacements with large impacts on construction, trucking and agriculture. In 2019, legislators on both sides of the aisle passed legislation to phase out older diesel engines in the Portland metropolitan area and make smart investments in newer technologies. The bill that ultimately passed, HB 2007, was a compromise to encourage the retrofit and replacement of older on-road engines in heavy traffic areas, while exempting ag trucks, log trucks and small truck fleets. Unfortunately, just two years later, that agreement is already falling apart. Late Friday, the House Committee on Energy and Environment posted an amendment to HB 2674 .This amendment completely rewrites the bill, imposing a suite of new taxes on Oregonians to fund clean diesel engine retrofits and replacements: 3% excise tax on the retail sale of tires; 1.5% privilege tax for businesses who sell or lease off-road equipment; 1.5% use tax on off-road diesel equipment purchased outside of Oregon; 3.5% rental tax for rentals of off-road diesel equipment; 2% rental tax for rentals of all other qualified heavy equipment (note: this tax goes to counties not diesel retrofits); Privilege tax on heavy-duty trucks and light-duty vehicles; andGas tax on all red dyed diesel used in off-road equipment. This is an appalling overreach by our policymakers, particularly when many Oregon families are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating wildfires in 2020, and the recent ice storms. At its core, this amendment creates a suite of new taxes on construction, forestry and agriculture to fund engine upgrades in Oregon’s most populous metropolitan areas. It’s fundamentally unfair to working families who are barely struggling to get by. TAKE ACTION – Weigh in to make your voice heard by Wednesday’s hearing: House Committee on Energy and Environment Wednesday, March 3rd, 1:00pm Download template letter here How to Submit Written Testimony Provide your letter of testimony on your Chamber letterhead. You can download the template letter here. Please provide specific, local examples where possible. You will want to create a PDF of your letter to upload.Submit your letter through the Testimony Portal on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS). You will find this link at the bottom of the committee page on the “Click to Submit Testimony” link. When submitting testimony, you will need to:Select the committee hearing the bill: House Committee On Energy and Environment Select the hearing date: March 3, 2021 at 1:00 PM Select the bill you are submitting testimony on: HB 2674 You can also register to testify remotely. Please view the guide below for instructions on how to sign up. You MUST register in order to testify. Registration closes at the time the meeting begins.  DOWNLOAD “HOW TO TESTIFY” GUIDE Oregon State Chamber of Commerce (OSCC) | 991 Liberty Street SE, Salem, OR 97302 |
