Archives

February 28, 2017 - Oregon labor outperforms other states

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis released the latest quarterly economic and revenue forecast. For the full document, slides and forecast data please see our main website. Below is the forecast’s Executive Summary.


February 27, 2017 - Investors finally embrace equity rally

 by Jason Norris, CFA Executive Vice President of Research Ferguson Wellman, A leading Oregon financial firm Friday, Feb 24 — Stocks ended the week marginally higher as U.S. economic data continued to generate positive headlines. Though regional manufacturing surveys around the U.S. are showing improving growth, retail earnings this week […]


February 24, 2017 - Retailers meet with Trump on Tax Reform, Border Tax

Retailers meet with Trump to push tax reform, block ‘border adjustment’ J. Craig Shearman By National Retail Federation CEOs from some of the nation’s top retail companies met with President Trump at the White House as NRF argued that comprehensive tax reform is needed but said a proposed $1 trillion […]


February 22, 2017 - Worst business laws of 2016

Bullard Law, Portland law firm We created the Bullard Edge Awards, more popularly known as the BEAs.  Annually the BEAs recognize outstanding or infamous achievement in employment law.  There is not a nomination in every category every year.  It all depends on the year that was. This morning the BEA […]


February 22, 2017 - SB 165 voids small business tax cut

OSBA Works Against Small Business Tax Increase By Oregon Small Business Association, Oregon Small Business Association President T.J. Riley appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue  to testify against SB 165. This bill would force small businesses across Oregon to add at least one full-time equivalent employee (FTE) […]


February 21, 2017 - Alaska Airlines record earnings, $100M employee bonuses

Alaska Air Group Press Release, Employees of Alaska Air Group companies Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are receiving $100 million in bonuses, following a record fourth quarter and record full-year earnings announcement. For most employees, this equates to more than 8 percent of their annual pay in 2016. The company’s […]


February 20, 2017 - About the border tax

by Brad Houle, CFA Executive Vice President Ferguson Wellman, A leading Oregon financial firm For the week, the equity markets were higher by about 1.25 percent as investors absorbed Janet Yellen’s testimony to Congress and the stronger-than-expected economic data that was posted. Interest rates were higher with the 10-year U.S. […]


February 17, 2017 - Chamber issues Israel-U.S. business plan

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Israel Business Initiative today released a series of policy recommendations for the new Congress and administration aimed at strengthening the U.S.-Israel economic relationship. The policy recommendations outline a new […]


February 16, 2017 - Congress: 3 bills target Davis-Bacon Act

Ater Wynne LLP NW Law firm Federal legislators have renewed steps to repeal — or at least undermine — the prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates payment of prevailing wages and benefits to workers employed under federally-funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, […]


February 15, 2017 - SB 301 protects off-job drug use

Bullard Law, Portland law firm Longtime readers of The Bullard Edge (which is everyone, right?) will recall that we first addressed the marijuana law evolution in our fifth post, titled “When Mary Jane Brought a Pot Brownie to Work” (April 15, 2014).  Here is some of what we said in […]