City of Portland and Multnomah County respond to COVID-19 challenge by deferring 2019 business income tax payments

March 27, 2020

For immediate release: Friday, March 27, 2020. 

Julie Sullivan-Springhetti, julie.sullivan-springhetti@multco.us, 503-503-2741

Tim Becker, timothy.becker@portlandoregon.gov,  503-823-6784

City of Portland and Multnomah County respond to COVID-19 challenge by deferring 2019 business income tax payments

Portland -- Following their respective declarations of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, today, the City of Portland and Multnomah County announced that businesses owing income tax for the 2019 tax year can delay their filings and payments from April 15th to July 15th, 2020. The measure relieves pressure on businesses during the current pandemic, which has severely impacted most sectors of the economy.

No penalties or interest will accrue until July 16, 2020 for any tax filing extended by the current order. Oregon Governor Brown has already pushed back the personal income tax filing deadline to stay in line with the federal extension until July 15.

This deferral puts Multnomah County and the City of Portland in line with the federal government and the State of Oregon. 

"Multnomah County's focus has been on saving lives and slowing the spread of the COVID-19," said Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury. "The best thing we can do for the economy is to control the spread of the virus. But we will also make every effort to work with our business community to be flexible, help where we can, and work collectively toward a speedy economic recovery."   

Mayor Ted Wheeler said, “We are working to slow the spread of this virus, and minimize its damage to Portland’s economy. We are prioritizing actions to strengthen our economy’s resilience, and speed its recovery. This is one of many steps we are taking to support local employers and employees.”

Under the current order

What is deferred:

The City and County are automatically extending the tax filing and payment deadline for Portland and Multnomah County business tax payments due April 15, 2020 for the 2019 tax year to July 15, 2020.

For C-Corporations with a May 15, 2020 deadline with the state of Oregon, the Portland and Multnomah County business tax return filings due May 15, 2020 are also extended until July 15, 2020. 

What is not deferred: 

  • Property tax payments are not deferred. Multnomah County has already collected 90 percent of 2019 property tax payments. As of today, for those still owing, the May 15, 2020 property tax payment is due as usual.

  • 2019 business tax payments due with returns after April 15, 2020 (or May 15, 2020 for C-Corporations) are not extended at this time.

  • Clean Energy Surcharge tax year 2019 payments are due as usual by the original due date of the Portland and Multnomah County business tax returns. However, no late penalties will be assessed for taxpayers making good-faith efforts to estimate their tax year 2019 Clean Energy Surcharge payments.

  • 2020 quarterly estimated business tax payments, including the Clean Energy Surcharge, are not extended.

  • No extension is granted for Transient Lodging Taxes or Tourism Improvement Fees.

For details about tax and other relief, please see the Portland Revenue Division website at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/revenue/article/757214.

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