338
Opinion of the Court
knowledged that subsections (b)(1)-(3) do not speak to the question of discriminatory property tax exemptions. Like the District Court, however, the Court of Appeals accepted the Carlines' contention that property tax exemptions are subject to challenge under subsection (b)(4). The court explained that Congress enacted § 11503 to " 'prevent tax discrimination against railroads in any form whatsoever.'" 961 F. 2d, at 820 (emphasis in original) (citing Ogilvie v. State Bd. of Equalization of N. D., 657 F. 2d 204, 210 (CA8), cert. denied, 454 U. S. 1086 (1981)).
Rejecting the District Court's apparent view that ad valorem tax schemes exempting less than 50% of nonrailroad business property are not proscribed by subsection (b)(4), the Court of Appeals held that the "most natural reading" of the provision dictates that "any exemption given to other taxpayers but not to railroads" is forbidden, with possible room for "a de minimis level of exemption[s]." 961 F. 2d, at 822 (emphasis in original). The court found that Oregon's property tax, under the calculation most generous to the State, exempted 25% of nonrailroad commercial property, far exceeding any possible de minimis exception. On this ground, the court concluded that the State's taxation of railroad property violated subsection (b)(4). Id., at 823. Holding that the Carlines "were entitled to the same total exemption preferred property owners enjoyed," the court enjoined the State from levying any tax upon the Carlines' railroad property. Ibid.
We granted certiorari, 508 U. S. 905 (1993), and now reverse.
II
Before passing upon the validity of Oregon's ad valorem property tax under § 11503(b)(4), the Court of Appeals and the District Court addressed a preliminary question: Whether a tax upon railroad property is even subject to challenge under subsection (b)(4) on the ground that certain
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