Alexander Kalina

If your bosses make 100 times what you do, they'll be hit with a new Portland tax

The Portland city council passed a law Dec. 7 that will increase taxes on publicly traded companies where the chief executive officers are paid more than 100 times that of a median worker. What could that look like?

The Portland tax will rely on compensation data that the federal Securities and Exchange Commission will report beginning next year. But in an effort to get an idea of what these salary differentials could look like, we've researched different kinds of jobs to estimate how much a CEO would need to earn to be hit by the tax. (Companies, of course, have a diverse set of workers with some earning salaries closer to that of the CEO. The tax kicks in based on the median salary.)

Under the tax plan, a company with a CEO-to-worker ratio of at least 100-to-1 will pay a surcharge equal to 10 percent of the amount it pays for Portland's business tax. A company with a 250-to-1 ratio or greater would pay a 25 percent surcharge.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Cashier's boss would have to make $2.5 million

There are more cashiers busy ringing up sales this holiday season. The annual mean wage is $24,140, according to the May 2015 Occupational Employment Statistics data released on March 30, 2016, by the U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Butcher's boss would have to make $3.4 million

Many Oregon butchers and meat cutters work in grocery stores with an average annual pay of $34,000.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Interior designer's boss would have to make $5 million

With few exceptions, most interior designers in Oregon who plan and furnish residential and commercial spaces are based in the Portland tri-county area, according to state data. The Salem, Bend and Medford regions are home to about a dozen interior design jobs apiece. Annual mean wage: $49,360.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Optometrist's boss would have to make $10 million

Demand is growing for optometrists, alongside many healthcare careers. Most practitioners who are working for others are based in the Portland tri-county area. The average mean wage is $102,680.

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Janet Eastman | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Baker's boss would have to make $3 million

Bakers who work for Oregon bakeries, grocery stores, food manufacturers and restaurants tend to earn more than elsewhere in the United States. Annual mean wage is $29,160.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Security guard's boss would have to make $3 million

This time of year, security guards are in high demand, more than half of whom work at businesses throughout the Portland metro area, according to state data. They work for a variety of employers, including retailers, hospitals, restaurants, promoters, nursing homes colleges. Average mean wage: $29,840.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Locksmith's boss would have to make $3.5 million

Anyone who has locked their keys in their car can attest: It's a good thing that locksmiths are only a phone call away. According to state data, roughly half of them are employed in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. Average mean wage: $35,500 (includes safe repairers)

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The Oregonian/OregonLive

Dental assistant's boss would have to make $4 milliion

Like many jobs in the healthcare field, demand for dental assistants is on the rise. They work in all corners of Oregon. Average mean wage: $41,680.

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The Oregonian/Oregonlive

Waiter's boss would have to make $2.4 million

Everyone has a favorite waiter or waitresse (like Robert Smith, who worked a half century at the Portland Racquet Club before retiring). If so, tip them more, because the annual mean wage is $23,690. Look up information on Oregon jobs at the State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.

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