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October 16, 2017 - Oregon’s poverty ranked 36th lowest

Poverty and Age in Oregon Oregon Workforce And Economic Information Oregon’s poverty rate dropped more than 2 percentage points in 2016, to 13.3 percent. Among the states and Washington, D.C., Oregon’s 2016 poverty rate ranked right in the middle at 25th lowest. Poverty rates in 2016 ranged from 7.3 percent […]


October 13, 2017 - New health plan levels playing field for small businesses

Retailers Join Trump At White House For Signing Of Association Health Plan Order J. Craig Shearman National Retail Federation The owner of a Massachusetts pet-supply store represented the National Retail Federation at the White House today as President Trump signed an executive order that would allow more small businesses to […]


October 12, 2017 - Rep. Mark Johnson selected to head OBI

OBI Selects Mark Johnson as President & CEO Oregon Prosperity Project Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) has selected Representative Mark Johnson (R-Hood River) to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oregon’s statewide business association. Johnson has served in the Legislature since 2011 and is known for his […]


October 11, 2017 - PERS funding draining state resources

The Cost of PERS Inaction Continues to Grow Oregon Prosperity Project The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) funding crises will continue to drain state resources and prevent Oregon from improving our schools and providing needed services unless leaders step forward with a solution. The past few months have brought news […]


October 10, 2017 - Rep. Schrader introduces bipartisan bill supporting small businesses

Schrader, Renacci, Jenkins, and Costa Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Small Businesses Congressman Kurt Schrader  Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Jim Renacci (R-OH), Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), and Jim Costa (D-CA) introduced the Simplifying Technical Aspects Regarding Seasonality (STARS) Act. This bipartisan legislation clarifies the employer mandate provision within the Affordable Care […]


October 9, 2017 - E-Commerce on the rise in Oregon

Oregon’s Shifting Retail Landscap By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis There’s no question that online sales have been, and will continue to change the retail landscape. However, it can be hard to show exactly how this is influencing and impacting standard economic data. Sure, Census reports e-commerce sales […]


October 6, 2017 - House passes its 2018 budget resolution

U.S. Chamber Statement on House Passage of the 2018 Budget Resolution Important First Step, but the Work is Just Beginning U.S. Chamber of Commerce The House passed its 2018 budget resolution Thursday in a party-line vote that represents a step toward its goal of sending tax-reform legislation to President Trump. […]


October 5, 2017 - Smaller pool of qualified job candidates since recession

A Tightening Oregon Job Market By Anthony K. Smith National Federation of Independent Business As Oregon’s economy continues to grow, the many measurable benefits of expansion are evident. State economists at the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis have recently reported a number of encouraging statistics: job creation continues to outpace […]


October 4, 2017 - Supreme Court to reconsider forced union fees

Second Look: Supreme Court to Revisit Constitutionality of Mandatory Public Sector Union Fees By Lindsey M. Tran Ballard Law On September 28th, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will once again consider the issue of whether unions can force non-member public employees to pay union “agency fees” or “fair […]


October 3, 2017 - Dwindling numbers for Oregon’s paper industry

Paper Cuts: Oregon’s Declining Paper Industry Oregon Workforce and Economic Information  Paper manufacturing began in Oregon with the Pioneer Paper Manufacturing Company in 1866, but the mill closed in less than a year. The Clackamas Paper Manufacturing Company opened in 1868 and was followed by Willamette Pulp and Paper in […]