Transit district decisions usually command little public attention, but that changed this summer after the Cherriots Board announced plans to impose a business payroll tax.

Since then, Salem Reporter has fielded dozens of questions from people about how the tax would work, what it would pay for and why the agency is considering it. We’ve answered some of the most common ones.

Unless otherwise noted, costs and revenue figures are taken from Cherriots’ current budget.

What is Cherriots?

Cherriots, formally called the Salem Area Mass Transit District, is a separate government agency with no direct connection to the city of Salem, county or state government. It’s overseen by a seven-member board of directors. Since 2018, the governor has appointed the directors.

The agency runs local and

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