By Tim Duy, Oregon Economic Forum sponsor, KeyBank. The University of Oregon Index of Economic Indicators™ edged down 0.2 percent to 86.3 (1997=100).  Compared to six months ago, more than half the index components declined while the UO Index fell 5.9 percent (annualized).  In the past, declines of this magnitude […]

by by Richard Goldfarb Stoel Rives LLP, Oregon law firm There is a niche market out there for celebrity-endorsed food products that benefit charities. PLB Sports out of Pittsburgh appears to be a market leader in this niche, labeling products ranging from beef jerky to salsa to mustard with images and […]

Four new ad trends push limits of tech, privacy By Oregon Small Business Association New marketing strategies in Japan allow a vending machine to capture an image of the consumers, track gender and age and even offer a suggested drink. NEC Corporation, the third largest computer display models, says it […]

AOI to Comment on Proposal to Hike Employer Workers’ Comp Assessment Rates By J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business advocate On September 8, the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced that workers’ comp premiums would fall by 1.8% for Oregon employers in 2011. But the Department […]

By Oregon Tax News, How Would the Expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts Affect Oregonians? The Bush tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year, have many Americans worried about how it will affect their taxes.  According to the Wall Street Journal, “If returning lawmakers don’t pass […]

Oregon Supreme Court splits on defining “roof” byAter-Wynne, Oregon Law Firm Is a plastic tarp a roof? It can be, according to the Oregon Supreme Court, which today remanded for trial a dispute between a homeowner and an insurer. In Dewsnup v. Farmers Insurance Co., the plaintiff undertook to repair […]

10th biennial fiscal report card of the governors By Cato Institute, State governments have had to make tough budget choices in recent years. Tax revenues have stagnated as a result of the poor economy, and that has prompted governors to take a variety of fiscal actions to close large budget […]

Shopping Wars Intensify for Holiday Season By Oregon Small Business Association, Intensifying the upcoming holiday shopping season is the recent slide in back-to-school sales  and the challenge of a tough economic climate.   As a result, more retailers are starting to aggressively ramp up their efforts earlier to expand their image […]

Minimum wage will increase in 2011 despite overall decrease in state CPI By  J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon industries, Oregon employers will find themselves disadvantaged once again in 2011 by Oregon’s minimum wage law that increases the state minimum wage based on increases in the state Consumer Price Index (CPI). Oregon’s […]