Editorial: Astoria rejected a housing tax. Now build solutions.

Feelings about Astoria’s housing predicament were laid bare by the campaign for Measure 4-247 and the reaction against it. Measure proponents approached the issue with admirable conviction. Despite Oregonians’ deep aversion to new taxes, nearly four out of 10 Astoria voters supported a levy on owners of homes occupied less than half the year, with exceptions for certain circumstances. That says something about how urgently many residents want action. Beyond a simple anti-tax impulse, the campaign revealed considerable discomfort with peering too deeply into when and why people choose to be away from their Astoria homes. That discomfort can coexist with a gnawing worry that the town is becoming too precious and expensive to preserve its working-class, bohemian character.

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