The Multnomah County Commissioners took a significant stride towards adjusting their fiscal plan by tentatively agreeing to delay a tax hike intended to fund the Preschool for All initiative. The decision will postpone the originally scheduled 0.8% increase in high-income earners from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027, as detailed by the Multnomah County News Release.
Preschool for All, which first opened its doors back in September 2022, has the lofty ambition to guarantee free, superior preschool education to local 3- and 4-year-olds—an investment with a proven path to enhance the likelihood of them securing high school diplomas, pursuing higher education, and achieving professional success. The tax funding for this venture currently stands at 1.5% on individual incomes beyond $125,000 and $200,000 for joint filers, with a further 1.5% applied to incomes surpassing $250,000 or $400,000, respectively. According to a statement obtained by Multnomah County News Release, the delay is set to reduce anticipated revenue by about $48 million in 2027, yet the program is still poised to maintain its growth in capacity and quality.
This academic year, the County has surpassed expectations by enrolling 2,070 children into Preschool for All, with plans to further up those numbers come January. Additionally, over 250 early educators have benefited from professional development, with projections set to double these figures in the upcoming years. The County aims to continually recruit and train a new generation of preschool providers to uphold the elevated demand for education.
The board decided against an amendment proposal that aimed to annually index the tax collection to inflation rates. However, a technical advisory group will now be tasked to carefully analyze to develop recommendations for the program's financial sustainability. This expert panel will also bring together different community viewpoints, including those of county commissioners, taxpayers, and school districts, among others.
