Starting next year, those with jobs in Salem may be paying the city a bigger portion of their paycheck.Salem city councilors will decide on Monday, July 10, whether to create a new tax on wage earners to pay for police, fire and some homeless services. The council could decide to impose the tax, reject it or send it to city voters.Salem Reporter talked with residents recently at the Salem Saturday Market about the proposal and collected their questions from conversations there and emails.Who pays the tax?Workers with jobs within Salem city limits, except those who make minimum wage, would pay the tax.How much is the tax?The proposed tax rate is 0.814% of all wages, which comes out to an average of $42.19 a month or $506.24 per year for someone who makes $29.90 an hour, which is the average wage for Salem workers.People who make minimum wage of $14.20 an hour will not be taxed. Those who make anything above minimum wage will be taxed. Someone who makes $15 an hour full-time will be taxe...
