SALEM, Ore. – A timber tax is under discussion in Salem this legislative session.
House Bill 2379 would impose a severance tax on timber owners at the time of harvest. That money would go into a statewide Emergency Wildfire Fund.
However, politicians have varying viewpoints on how this would impact the timber industry.
“[The timber industry are] the ones not causing catastrophic wildfires. You can’t ignore the decades of environmental neglect on the public landscape, where the fires are burning. [Then] attack the private timber owners that are managing that resource, in a way, that fires don’t burn,” said Republican State Representative David Brock Smith.
But Democrat State Senator Jeff Golden said this tax could help local communities prevent and rebuild after the last year’s horrific fire season.
“We’re talking about potentially some significant money for county government and county government is really struggling. And for preventing and recovering from the wildfires. Which have grown so far beyond our ability to deal with them, in terms of physical resources,” said Democrat Senator Jeff Golden.
No formal actions are decided, the conversation is continuing with the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
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