The Oregon Department of Revenue (DOR) will host a series of meetings across the state in March to provide information to business taxpayers and tax professionals about the administrative rules for Oregon’s new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT).
Department representatives used input collected from stakeholders during a 12-stop tour in fall 2019 in prioritizing and writing the rules. March’s meetings will include a presentation and discussion of the initial temporary rules — the last of which will be filed with the Secretary of State March 1.
“Our CAT team will personally engage our taxpaying communities in March to provide important compliance information. We consistently strive to help taxpayers comply with the law. The CAT team will also solicit feedback on the temporary rules completed to date,” said Nia Ray, director of the Oregon Department of Revenue.
The tour kicks off in Bend March 2 with a 6-7:30pm meeting in Science 109 on the campus of Central Oregon Community College. Additional meetings are planned in Ontario, La Grande, The Dalles, Klamath Falls, Ashland, Eugene, Gresham, Coos Bay, Lincoln City, Seaside, Beaverton and Keizer. Visit the CAT page of the Department of Revenue website to see the complete schedule.
House Bill 3427 created Oregon’s Corporate Activity Tax and granted DOR the responsibility of writing rules to implement it.
The first 12 administrative rules were filed with the Secretary of State January 1. Four additional rules became effective February 1 with another set of rules scheduled to be filed with the Secretary of State March 1.
All of the rules will be filed as temporary rules with the permanent rule process scheduled to begin April 1. The timing will allow business taxpayers and tax professionals to provide comment on the temporary rules during the upcoming meetings in March as well as during the public comment period.
The temporary rules can be found on the Secretary of State’s website. Locate the CAT rules by searching current rules for Chapter 150, Division 317.
The Corporate Activity Tax imposes a 0.57 percent tax on gross receipts greater than $1 million after subtractions plus $250, beginning January 1. It is expected to generate $1 billion a year to boost funding for public schools.
More information about the Corporate Activity Tax, including a list of frequently asked questions, is available on the Department of Revenue’s website.
Those who are unable to attend but want to provide input may email questions or comments to cat.help.dor@oregon.gov. The department is planning a series of conference call meetings for out-of-state taxpayers and Oregon stakeholders who are unable to attend the in-state meetings. Those meetings will be scheduled once the in-state tour is complete.
Visit oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund or make tax payments; call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish); 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon; or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 800-886-7204.
