So Money with Farnoosh Torabi · Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Georgia Lee Hussey explains that Portland, Oregon, has one of the highest tax rates in the country due to its history of experimenting with progressive policies. She cites examples like drug decriminalization and a metro housing bill that added a local tax to address the housing crisis.
“You may or may not know Portland now has one of the highest tax rates in the country.”
“And that is in part because Portland, um, is a little bit of a laboratory for progressive policy.”
“And then we have this problem. We decriminalize, then we start a metro housing bill that basically adds an extra local tax that's trying to address the housing crisis that most of us on the coast are experiencing.”