I am asking about COO- not COOH
So both resonance structures give electrons to the Carbon...So this confused me.
NO2 is similar.

deactivating i believe.

I believe it's deactivating.

I think it is deactivating meta. carbon double bond with oxygen.

whenever you have a carbonyl attached, which is electron withdrawing, it will be deactivating. It doesn't matter if it's a carboxylate ion or COOH. You can't donate any electrons from it to the ring. It will draw electrons to itself.

It will be less dactivating than COOH, because of the resonance--- but still deactivating.