Salem voters made a statement last night saying no the Salem city payroll tax. In Marion county 82 percent of Salem voters opposed the tax and in west Salem, 84 percent said no. The measure would have imposed a 0.814% tax on all wages earned in the city above minimum wage to sustain and expand police, fire, and homeless services in Salem. A worker earning the city’s average wage would have paid about $500 a year. The vote won’t be certified until December fourth due to ballots that were mailed before the voting deadline yesterday.
Also last night, the Keizer fire district for a five-year local option tax levy for operations is passing with 59 percent voting yes, nearly 52 percent are voting yest for the Marion county fire district levy for staffing two dedicated emergency response fire engines, the silver falls school district four-j bond is failing with 54 percent voting no.
