As reported in a June 25 story, “Proposal targets sales tax exemption,” according to Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, the plan to remove the sales tax exemption for Oregon shoppers in Washington is a bad idea and will cost Washington business owners money, but that seems to fail the common-sense test. Oregonians already enjoy no sales tax when they buy items in Oregon, so why would they come to Washington to buy products available in their own state? Granted, there may be some items unique to Washington, but I can’t imagine there are that many.
I suspect that the ones benefiting from the sales tax exemption are the thousands of people living in Vancouver and surrounding areas who haven’t registered their vehicles in Washington and have Oregon driver’s licenses.
Washington is, like most states, running short on money and I’d rather see this exemption ended than have to pay more property tax, a higher sales tax or more gasoline taxes.
Harold A. Lay
Vancouver
