Report: Portland has 5th highest water and sewer rates in the U.S. by Eric Fruits, Oregon economist Econ International Blog A recent study from Nus Consulting Group revealed that the average business district/commercial water user saw rates rise 5.5 percent in 2011 when compared to 2010. However, in several cities, […]

by Patrick Emerson Oregon Economics Blog Yet another sign today that the US may be on the road to recovery: the US grew at an annualized rate of 2.8% last quarter. This is good news considering where we have been these last few years, but not good enough to may […]

Bill Gates Speaks on State of the Union, Buffet Rule, Taxes on Rich Video of the week: CNN interviews Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, on the tax debate coming right out of President Obama’s State of the Union. See Bill Gates interview below.

Europe, America and the Crisis of Capitalism by Albert Gallatin Guest Opinion, Since the financial crisis of 2008 western economies have been in a continual state of crisis. In Europe one sovereign nation after another has faced the prospect of significantly reducing government spending or defaulting on its debt. So […]

Google has made a bold step in changing their privacy policy which includes using more of the information it gets from its users. Congress is already complaining.. Below is the video Google is using to promote its new controversial privacy policy and it strikes gold for creativity over a dangerous […]

Oregon Employers: Mandatory Union Notices Delayed Again Until April 30 By J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s Largest Business Advocate Late last year, AOI advised its members that they needed to comply with new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rules – slated to go into effect on January 31 – […]

Better Business Bureau, In 2011, Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington provided 2,975,099 BBB Business Reviews on local companies Top 20 Complaints 1. Cellular Telephone Service & Supplies 2. Internet Selling Services 3. Internet Access Provider 4. Computers Software & Services 5. Travel Agencies & Bureaus 6. […]

Ninth Circuit rejects nationwide class action for false advertising from by Lori Bauman Ater-Wynne:, Oregon Law Firm The Ninth Circuit continues to grapple with the standards for certifying class actions following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Wal-Mart v. Dukes, 131 S. Ct. 2541 (2011). Last week, a divided panel […]

In Portland, road maintenance takes a backseat to bikes and streetcars By Dr. Eric Fruits Econ International Blog Following up on a previous article, the figure below shows that as Portland’s road paving backlog has grown, the city has expanded bikeways and streetcar lines.

U.S. Chamber Pledges to Continue to Find Effective Solution to Foreign Rogue Websites The Right Solution is Good for Jobs, Consumers, and the Internet BY U.S. Chamber of Commerce WASHINGTON D.C.—David Hirschmann, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center, released the following statement in […]