OUTDOOR SPORTS UPDATE:
Back in the Game...for Some
Link to Governor's Media Release, here.
While this is good news for some, there is much work to be done. I'll continue to push for reopening of schools and our kids back in sports.
Sector Guidelines
Eating and drinking establishments: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/.../le2351b.pdf
Faith institutions: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/.../le3465.pdf
Indoor entertainment: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/.../le2351a.pdf
Employers and organizations: https://sharedsystems.dhsoha.state.or.us/.../le2342C.pdf
To find more guidelines by sector: https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19
Read Media Release, here.
SCHOOL CHOICE:
House Republicans to the Legislature
Every older Oregonian will be able get vaccinated, but most will not get their vaccines for many weeks.
There will be more older adults who want to get vaccinated than there is vaccine. State health officials think it will take weeks to have enough vaccine to vaccinate more than 7 in 10 adults aged 65 and older.
To find out if you are eligible and where you can go to get vaccinated:
(TTY: dial 711 or call 1-866-698-6155)
NEW FEATURE: On February 8, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority will launch a new tool at covidvaccine.Oregon.gov called Get Vaccinated Oregon. This tool will allow people to determine if they are currently eligible for a vaccine and register to get email alerts or text notifications when they become eligible. Once eligible to be vaccinated, this tool will help direct users to vaccine events in their area. This tool will be open to all Oregonians. Using this tool does not guarantee users a specific "spot in line." Once eligible, notified users may use the tool to find a vaccine event in their area.
LINN COUNTY vaccine information
More COVID-19 information
The House Committee on Wildfire Recovery will be holding Public Hearings, starting next week. People impacted in the Valley Region are invited to testify on Monday, February 15. How to sign up to testify.
How do the Stimulus Checks impact my taxes in Oregon?
When Congress created the stimulus checks, it was a prepayment of the federal Recovery Rebate Credit. These payments were essentially a reduction of 2020 federal taxes in advance and therefore lower the amount you can deduct when you file your Oregon taxes. This means that you may owe the state of Oregon more because there is less money you can deduct from your gross income. So, although the stimulus checks are not technically taxed by the state of Oregon, it could negatively impact the amount of money you owe the State of Oregon when you file your taxes this year.
Oregon’s Federal Tax Subtraction
The State of Oregon gives a deduction for taxes you pay to the federal government. This is called the federal tax subtraction. This federal tax subtraction allows Oregonians to subtract what they pay to the federal government from their Oregon taxes. For tax year 2020, Oregon income tax filers can subtract the first $6,950 ($3,475 for married filing separately) in federal taxes paid from the income on which they pay state income tax.
Example
Let’s assume an individual earns $40,000 in gross income in a year and they are a single filer. The first $9,875 is taxed at 10% ($987.50 in taxes). The second portion of your taxable income—anything between $9,876 and $40,125—is taxed at 12%. Since you earn less than $40,125, you’ll subtract the $9,876 from your total taxable income number to see how much of your income falls into that range. That would look like this: $37,600 minus $9,876 equals $27,724. This is the amount that gets taxed at 12% (which comes out to be $3,327).
Now we know that your tax liability on that income would be $4,314.50—found by adding the first bracket at 10% ($987.50) to the second bracket at 12% ($3,327).
Definitions
- Tax liability – A tax debt you owe to entities like the IRS, the state government, or a local government.
- Total tax liability – The total amount of tax owed from liabilities like income tax, capital gains tax, self-employment tax, and any penalties or interest.
- Taxable income – Gross income after deductions and tax credits.
- Taxable income is divided into tiers (called tax brackets) that are each taxed at a certain rate.
Here is a chart for the federal income tax rate for the 2020 tax year:
|
Tax rate
|
Single
|
Married, filing jointly
|
Married, filing separately
|
Head of household
|
|
10%
|
$0–9,875
|
$0–19,750
|
$0–9,875
|
$0–14,100
|
|
12%
|
$9,876–40,125
|
$19,751–80,250
|
$9,876–40,125
|
$14,101–53,700
|
|
22%
|
$40,126–85,525
|
$80,251–171,050
|
$40,126–85,525
|
$53,701–85,500
|
|
24%
|
$85,526–163,300
|
$171,051–326,600
|
$85,526–163,300
|
$85,501–163,300
|
|
32%
|
$163,301–207,350
|
$326,601–414,700
|
$163,301–207,350
|
$163,301–207,350
|
|
35%
|
$207,351–518,400
|
$414,701–622,050
|
$207,351–311,025
|
$207,351–518,400
|
|
37%
|
$518,401 or more
|
$622,051 or more
|
$311,026 or more
|
$518,401 or more
|
Additional resources:
Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
Oregon Department of Revenue
www.oregon.gov/dor
503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222
questions.dor@oregon.gov
OSU College of Business is offering free tax preparation services to low- and middle-income individuals and families through a partnership with the IRS. Read more here.
The service is available in February and March, and appointments are now being scheduled. To qualify for the service, individuals or families must make less than $72,000 annually and meet other eligibility guidelines.
To learn more about eligibility or to register for an appointment, visit https://beav.es/vita or call 541-737-7962. Assistance is also available in Spanish.
Housing and Community Services will have a central online portal for landlords to apply for assistance from the Landlord Compensation Fund. They originally expected to have that portal up and running in early February, but I just checked in with them today and was informed that they are making some technical changes to the portal based on feedback from landlords that will delay the launch a little bit longer. As of now, OHCS is hoping to launch the portal sometime late next week.
Here are some links to information regarding the Landlord Compensation Fund that you can share with your constituents.
Landlord Compensation Fund Updates Email List
Landlord Compensation Fund Webinar
Landlord Compensation Fund Website
From the Oregon Employment Department:
We have five things we want to update you on. We know you need and are counting on your benefits and we are dedicated to getting them to you.
- If your PUA claim shows a positive balance and has not expired, you will be paid this week. To figure out your claim expiration date and if you have a positive balance, click “Time and Money” when accessing your claim in Online Claim System, and you will see how many weeks you have been paid and your benefit balance.
- If your PUA claim is exhausted (zero balance), you will not be paid until PUA extensions are programmed. We will let you know when that date is as soon as we can. All benefits will be paid retroactively.
- If your PUA claim has expired, here is what you need to know:
- Scenario 1 - PUA Claim expired Jan. 30, 2021, or earlier - Claim benefits every week, however, you will not be paid until the PUA extensions are programmed. You will be paid retroactively for all benefits due to you.
- Scenario 2 - PUA Claim expires Feb. 6, 2021 - Claim the week ending Feb. 6 and you will be paid on time but you will not be paid future weeks until PUA extensions are programmed. You will be paid retroactively for all benefits due to you.
- Scenario 3 - PUA Claim expires Feb. 13, 2021 - Keep claiming every week and you will be paid benefits for the weeks ending Feb. 6 and Feb. 13.
- Once the PUA extension is fully implemented it will take at least one week for retroactive benefits to show as paid in the Online Claim System.
- We will send an update at the end of today with any new information we have when we will be able to pay PUA benefits to people with exhausted or expired claims.
In all of the above exhausted and expired claims. PUA claim scenarios, you need to keep claiming weekly NO MATTER WHAT. You will receive your retro-payments quicker if there is no break in claiming.
ODOT awarded a $1.28 million Safe Routes to School Infrastructure grant to the City of Albany to construct sidewalks on both sides of Geary Street, install improved pedestrian crossings with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at 28th Avenue and 31st Avenue, and reconstruct curb returns and driveway approaches; this is near Lafayette Elementary School. They expect they’ll complete project planning by this fall and complete construction by May 2023.
The City was also awarded a smaller grant ($239,300) to construct flashing beacons and crossing improvements for students at Sunrise Elementary School.
My office is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any community event announcements, legislative questions, or concerns.
Stay tuned and stay involved!
Talk soon,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis
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