Art Tax reforms under way, including increased spending and potential increase to $50 a year * Oregon ArtsWatch

""Music and the arts will be the key to the rebirth of our downtown and the health and safety of our streets, our kids, and our culture as a city," Dunphy said when he first proposed the plan."

""I look forward to bringing legislation to the City Life Committee later this month that will, among other things, allow the Arts Access Fund to grow with inflation in the future - ensuring the fiscal health of the fund going forward, and that organizations will not face sudden shortfalls like this in the future," Dunphy said."

City Council President Jaime Dunphy has successfully advocated for the allocation of $1.6 million in unspent Arts Tax funds to around 80 nonprofit arts organizations in Portland. This funding aims to mitigate a 44% reduction in recent tax-funded grants. Dunphy plans to introduce legislation to increase the annual Arts Tax from $35 to $50 to account for inflation and rising program costs. Additionally, he aims to expand exemptions for lower-income residents from the tax, ensuring the sustainability of the Arts Access Fund.

Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News