Letter: Oregon residents don’t pay sales tax in Kennewick, won’t support ‘Link’

I take exception to the erroneous information contained in your Feb. 16 editorial. You stated that all those making purchases in Kennewick would help pay for the “Link.” This is absolutely false.

Washington law allows (not requires) merchants to exempt residents of certain states, Oregon being one, of paying sales tax. While I am sure there some merchants who do not grant this exemption, I have never observed that happening.

So in addition to not paying for a new facility, shoppers, such as Oregon residents, do not pay for any services that are supported by sales taxes. And yet are allowed to reap the benefit of services that are supported by sales tax. For example, emergency services and public transit. At the same time we must remember that if, as a Washington resident, we work in Oregon, we will be forced to pay their income tax. Hardly fair.

Merchants, remember, you are not required to bear the expense of processing the tax exemption forms that are required to be submitted, just don’t grant the exemption. You are not required to do so. Spread the burden to more and each of us will have to contribute less.

This story was originally published February 21, 2016 at 11:37 PM with the headline "Letter: Oregon residents don’t pay sales tax in Kennewick, won’t support ‘Link’."