A motor vehicle rental tax increase has been approved for Multnomah County, Oregon, according to the Oregonian.

Multnomah County commissioners voted unanimously on May 7 to approve the tax increase on rental cars and moving trucks, from 12.5 percent to 17 percent. The average county car rental tax will increase from about $10 a day to about $13.45.

Before the vote, representatives of the rental car and tourism industries spoke out against the increase, saying it will hurt small businesses and tourism. But Commissioner Jeff Cogen said the county had no choice but to vote for the increase. “Raising taxes is never an easy decision,” he said.

Several citizens and community advocates who supported the increase noted the tax increase would raise almost $5 million in a year when the county is a multimillion-dollar budget deficit.