By Oregon Small Business Association,
A pandemic…
A supply chain crisis…
Inflation spikes…
and now an outright product ban which will force dozens of businesses to close and lay off employees.
Washington County is hosting a hearing thus Tuesday on an ordinance to outlaw the sales of flavored vaping within the county. As flavored drinks lead drink sales among consumers, so too does flavored vaping which will mean an immediate end of vaping related mom-and-pop shops within the County. The ordinance, if passed, goes into effect within 30 days leaving many small vaping shops with only 30 days to clear out a majority of their inventory and then close their shop and be bankrupt by Christmas.
Already in January 2021, these small shops saw an astonishing 65% tax increase on their products. This 65% tax hits not only the shops and their employees but it hits their customers which are disproportionately working poor, blue collar workers and lower income Oregonians. The combined end result of both the new state tax and the County ban will be higher taxes on lower income families and more unemployment for working class people.
As businesses close, some sales will go across county lines and towards the black market which means the County will lose vaping tax revenue and loss of control as black market sales are completely unregulated and more dangerous.
During previous hearings before the County numerous small family business owners pleaded with the County for a less destructive and more workable solution, but the County just amended the ordinance to make it worse.
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