Wall Street Journal Editorial, 12/21/17 Congress passed the most sweeping tax reform since 1986 on Wednesday, and with any luck that success for the country will trigger a new reform debate in many states. To wit, how much will they have to cut income-tax rates to retain and attract the […]

Data Breaches Workgroup Prepares for Session by Mark Hester Oregon Business & Industry Previously reported in the OBI Weekly Update, Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) and Representative Paul Holvey (D-Eugene) formed a workgroup on data breaches amid concerns created by the hack of credit reporting giant Equifax earlier this year. Data […]

Oregon Ranks No 10 for Tax Competitiveness National Federation of Independent Businesses According to the Tax Foundation’s 2018 State Business Tax Climate Index, Oregon ranked 10th for its tax competitiveness. The Foundation’s annual index is designed to help business leaders, government policymakers, and taxpayers determine how their state’s tax system […]

Greg Walden applauds tax relief for middle-class Oregonians Congressman Greg Walden Continuing his efforts to provide tax relief for middle-class families and boost job growth in Oregon, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River) today voted to pass landmark tax reform through the House of Representatives. Walden applauded the passage of the […]

Most Oregon Employers Have Fewer than 20 Employees by Felicia Bechtoldt Oregon Workforce and Economic Information Nine out of 10 private-sector firms in Oregon had fewer than 20 employees in March 2017. Six out of 10 employed fewer than five. Despite their quantity, smaller firms collectively account for a much […]

Supply Side Constraints by Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Economic growth has firmed and the expansion continues. As the aftermath of the oil bust recedes, there are not many leading indicators today keeping economists up at night. However that does not mean there are not issues to watch. […]

By Oregon Small Business Association Foundation Last summer in Oregon was a season of wonder, disaster, and a little bit of an employment mystery. The August eclipse was predicted to bring one million visitors to the state. Hotels were full. Restaurants stocked up on food and told customers to pay […]

Bullseye Glass Company Press Release, Bullseye Glass Company, a locally owned art glass manufacturer with deep roots in Southeast Portland and a 40 year history of leadership in the arts community, filed a lawsuit today in federal court to expose the state’s irrational and discriminatory conduct, obtain damages for unconstitutional […]

Oregon’s Population Outlook by Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis When the latest population estimates for Oregon came out, I promised you an updated on our office’s forecast when it was available. Since then, Kanhaiya, the state demographer in our office, has updated the population forecast and we did […]

City Club of Portland, Friday Forum, January 5th, 2018 Measure 101: More taxes for healthcare? In January, Oregon will determine whether to implement new taxes on both healthcare providers and insurance companies to fund our expanded Medicaid program. The legislature passed these taxes in a highly partisan and controversial vote. […]