Archives

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 […]


February 14, 2017 - The state of Oregon’s income, wages

By Oregon Employment Department, Per Capita Personal Income in Oregon’s Counties  In 2015, Oregon had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $43,783. The PCPI ranked 29th in the United States and was 91 percent of the national average, $48,112, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In Oregon, […]


February 13, 2017 - S&P near record high

by Ralph Cole, CFA Executive Vice President of Research Ferguson Wellman, A leading Oregon financial firm The Week in Review February 10, 2017 – It was another solid week in the markets. The S&P 500 was up almost 1 percent to record highs. Interest rates were relatively quiet with the […]


February 10, 2017 - Good news – Retail expects 4% growth

National Retail Federation, The National Retail Federation released its economic forecast for 2017, projecting that retail industry sales, which exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants, will grow between 3.7 and 4.2 percent over 2016. Online and other non-store/online sales, which are included in the overall number, are expected to increase […]


February 9, 2017 - Nearly 1 in 4 workers are 55+

Nearly One in Four Workers in Oregon is 55 or Older By Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s workforce is aging. The number of Oregon jobs held by workers age 55 and over tripled from 1992 to 2015, while the total number of jobs grew by just 42 percent. Workers 55 and […]


February 8, 2017 - Self-employed income below national average

Look Both Ways Before You Tax By Anthony K. Smith As of February 1, the Oregon Legislative Assembly is back in session. Among the most talked about issues for the Legislature to tackle will be the 2017-2019 state budget and funding a major transportation package. At the heart of both […]