6 The Item regarding the "Progressive And Equitable Business Tax " was withdrawn from this agenda and rescheduled to the May 26, 2022 Special City Council Agenda at the May 12, 2022 Rules And Legislation Committee.
Please support local residents providing affordable housing by including Residential Rentals in the "Miscellaneous" business category. It doesn't make sense to lump small housing providers with mega corporations earning $74 million dollars a year.
Many small mom and pop can offer more affordable housing because we often don’t hire expensive plumbers, electricians and painters. Most of us are working class and immigrants and do the repair work themselves in maintaining and remodeling homes. We are local residents who trade in our weekends to build equity so we can send our children college and for retirement. Many have borne the brunt of the pandemic and have not received rent for almost two years. Please take concrete steps to show you support local residents who actually deliver on affordable housing.
Local small businesses shouldn't be lumped with mega-corporations earning $74 million per year. Small moms and pops are paying at least 10-fold higher taxes than most other categories and as high as 31-fold more taxes.
The current business tax proposal is not Fair, equitable or progressive to hard working providers of affordable housing.
Please include small rental property providers within the "Miscellaneous" business category. There is a stark inequity of charging struggling Mom & Pops between 11 & 35 times the tax rate of other businesses in the City. Reject placing LIENS on small rental properties. The majority of small rental property owners / housing providers are minority owners, currently struggling under the odious pandemic legislation that prevents any way of collecting rents - many with no rental income coming in and still having to pay mandatory rising fees on water, garbage, maintenance materials and labor, gas, food costs etc. Please, be fair and equitable as you say you are.
The city-wide NEIGHBORS DEFENDING OUR HOMES COALITION supports a truly Equitable Progressive Business Tax. But the proposed rates heavily discriminate against Mom & Pop rental providers, demanding a tax rate 35 times as much as grocers, for example. Small rental housing providers (5 units/rental payers or less) must be separated from commercial landlords & added to the “N. Miscellaneous” tax category. Oakland contemplates buying 13,000 low rental units, while unfairly driving out providers of lower cost rentals not costing taxpayers a penny!
Hundreds of small, local rental providers now face loss of their property, especially during this Covid economic crisis & rent moratoriums. Rent from a duplex, triplex or the home basement, even from a family member, will continue to be taxed at the highest rate in Oakland. Other cities exempt such rental providers from business taxes as they understand such rental housing is more affordable & can slow displacement & homelessness . Why continue the sad history of discouraging & driving out Mom & Pop rental providers costing the City $0?! The 2019 Tax Exemption is a sad hoax--only 60 people applying in 3 years!
The City Council & Mayor repeat concerns about the increasing, rampant displacement of long-time Oakland families, the crisis in affordable rental units, needs for ADUs, & homelessness. Why totally drop your equity lens in the matter of fairly taxing small rental providers!?
Please support local residents providing affordable housing by including Residential Rentals in the "Miscellaneous" business category. It doesn't make sense to lump small housing providers with mega corporations earning $74 million dollars a year.
Many small mom and pop can offer more affordable housing because we often don’t hire expensive plumbers, electricians and painters. Most of us are working class and immigrants and do the repair work themselves in maintaining and remodeling homes. We are local residents who trade in our weekends to build equity so we can send our children college and for retirement. Many have borne the brunt of the pandemic and have not received rent for almost two years. Please take concrete steps to show you support local residents who actually deliver on affordable housing.
Local small businesses shouldn't be lumped with mega-corporations earning $74 million per year. Small moms and pops are paying at least 10-fold higher taxes than most other categories and as high as 31-fold more taxes.
The current business tax proposal is not Fair, equitable or progressive to hard working providers of affordable housing.
Please include small rental property providers within the "Miscellaneous" business category. There is a stark inequity of charging struggling Mom & Pops between 11 & 35 times the tax rate of other businesses in the City. Reject placing LIENS on small rental properties. The majority of small rental property owners / housing providers are minority owners, currently struggling under the odious pandemic legislation that prevents any way of collecting rents - many with no rental income coming in and still having to pay mandatory rising fees on water, garbage, maintenance materials and labor, gas, food costs etc. Please, be fair and equitable as you say you are.
The city-wide NEIGHBORS DEFENDING OUR HOMES COALITION supports a truly Equitable Progressive Business Tax. But the proposed rates heavily discriminate against Mom & Pop rental providers, demanding a tax rate 35 times as much as grocers, for example. Small rental housing providers (5 units/rental payers or less) must be separated from commercial landlords & added to the “N. Miscellaneous” tax category. Oakland contemplates buying 13,000 low rental units, while unfairly driving out providers of lower cost rentals not costing taxpayers a penny!
Hundreds of small, local rental providers now face loss of their property, especially during this Covid economic crisis & rent moratoriums. Rent from a duplex, triplex or the home basement, even from a family member, will continue to be taxed at the highest rate in Oakland. Other cities exempt such rental providers from business taxes as they understand such rental housing is more affordable & can slow displacement & homelessness . Why continue the sad history of discouraging & driving out Mom & Pop rental providers costing the City $0?! The 2019 Tax Exemption is a sad hoax--only 60 people applying in 3 years!
The City Council & Mayor repeat concerns about the increasing, rampant displacement of long-time Oakland families, the crisis in affordable rental units, needs for ADUs, & homelessness. Why totally drop your equity lens in the matter of fairly taxing small rental providers!?
The Neighbors Defending our Homes Coalition