The Multnomah County Democrats 2025-2026 Platform is crystal clear: “We support developmentally appropriate early childhood education.” In Multnomah County, Preschool for All is the foundation that makes this vision possible.But some in Salem are advancing a narrative that threatens our county’s groundbreaking universal preschool program – and pressuring the legislature to act in their final days of session to prohibit us taxing high earners for this program as voters overwhelmingly approved.

The Truth about Multnomah County’s Tax Base

FACT CHECK: Despite claims by Governor Kotek about taxpayer flight, new analysis of county data by Portland State University Economics Professor Emerita Mary C. King shows the opposite:

📈 Households earning $500,000+ TRIPLED from 2019 to 2023
📊 The number of high-income households is higher than ever
✅ This growth happened AFTER Preschool for All taxes passed in 2020

Additionally, King’s analysis confirms that tax filers actually increased by 5,429 from 2021 to 2023 when complete data is included.

The Governor’s push to dismantle voter-approved programs threatens our children’s futures.

Why This Matters

Preschool for All isn’t just policy – it’s our Democratic values in action: 

🎓 Universal access to quality early education
⚖️ Equity for working families
🔬 Evidence-based investment in our community’s future

Take Action Now

Join Friends of Preschool for All in telling Governor Kotek and the Legislature: Hands Off Preschool for All!

👉SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY HERE

As Friends of Preschool for All says: “The kids are playing, but we aren’t.” Neither should we be. Our platform demands we fight for every child’s right to quality education from the start.

Share this alert and get your friends involved. When we stand together, we protect the programs that reflect our values.

This alert is brought to you by the Democratic Party of Multnomah County. Our 2025-2026 Platform prioritizes education equity and universal access to quality early childhood education.