Oregon Considers Coffee Tax: And You Thought The Boston Tea Party Was Something?

If you thought Bostonians got upset about the British plan to put a tax on tea, what do you think Oregonians would do if you started taxing their coffee? We may have a chance to find out.

There's a bill before the Oregon Legislature that would impose a five cent per pound tax on wholesale ground coffee and coffee beans. It's sponsored by the state legislature's House Committee on Revenue.

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According to the bill, an Alternative Education Sustainability Fund would be established.

From there, half the money would be used by the Oregon Military Department to help fund the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program. The other half would be used by the Oregon Department of Education to funnel to school districts operating alternative high school programs.

Oregon is facing a nearly $2 billion budget gap and is looking for ways to close the gap.

In Oregon - where there isn't even a sales tax and any new tax would need to be approved by three-fifths majority in both houses of the legislature - it's not expected this measure would pass.

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Photo Colin Miner