Oregon lawmakers have proposed a new tax on the sale of bikes—if it passes it would be the first of its kind in the country.

"A proposed $8 billion transportation spending package in Oregon could include a tax on the sale of bicycles," reports Chris Lehman.
As Lehman explains in the article, the idea of taxing bike sales is a frequent talking point around the country, but so far only licensing taxes have been enacted.
In Oregon, the proposed bike tax, still being debated at the state capitol, "would tack on anywhere from three to five percent to the cost of a new bike," according to Lehman. "Under the current version of the plan, the tax would only apply to adult bikes that cost more than $500."
Lehman also surveys a few bike experts to gauge the bike community's reaction to the idea. Some recreational cyclists quoted in the article are ok wit the idea. Bike advocacy group The Street Trust is opposed to the idea. When Lehman visited the Wheelworks Bicycle Shop, owner Bill Cole estimated how much his shop would pay the state each year, producing a figure of $18,000, which he said would be passed onto the customer.
Democratic Senator Lee Beyer, who helped craft the bike tax proposal, is cited in the article saying the tax proposals shows that bike riders "are now among the state's transportation priorities."
FULL STORY: Oregon Bicyclists Could Pay Tax To Fund Bike Path Improvements

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie