The Portland Arts Tax was passed by voters in 2012. It requires those 18 or older to pay the city a flat $35 if they make $1,000 or more a year and live in a household above the federal poverty line. Residents pay online or by mail separately from their other taxes. Since it was enacted, the tax has drawn criticism for the collection mechanism and how the funds were distributed to public school districts and large and small arts organizations. As OPB recently reported, the tax has generated a fund of 9 million that has not been spent, even as many local arts organizations lost federal grant funding and are in dire need. Today, the city released a new audit of the tax, with recommendations for improvement. We sit down with Audit Services Director KC Jones to get the details.

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News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/18/portland-audit-arts-tax-says-city-needs-to-do-better/