By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog As our office continues to unpack the latest employment data, which most importantly included revisions to the 2015 estimates, it’s looking even better than initially thought. Oregon is now getting very close to full employment, something we are likely to reach […]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber of Commerce  filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington to challenge a Seattle ordinance that authorizes union organizing of for-hire drivers working as independent contractors, highlighting that the ordinance will burden innovation, increase prices, and reduce […]

From Stoel Rives LLP Oregon law Firm By Chad Marriott and Kate D’Ambrosio  Oregon legislators passed Senate Bill (SB) 1547 into law yesterday, creating aggressive timetables for eliminating coal-fired electricity from the State and setting a 50% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by 2040. A diverse group of utilities, consumer advocacy […]

Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.1 percent in January from 5.5 percent in December 2015. The last time Oregon’s unemployment rate was this low was in June 2007. In January 2015, Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.9 percent.

 By NFIB Business owners may have to close their doors should the proposal go through. If having one of the highest minimum wages in the country wasn’t enough, Oregon business owners might soon face the prospect of even higher wages. It’s expected that some sort of minimum wage increase will […]

By Oregon Prosperity Project, Still and Again – Oregon’s Minimum Wage Conversation Isn’t Over Yet The ink was barely dry on Oregon’s new minimum wage increase last week when a new effort began. Seeking to minimize the impact of a wage hike on their districts, a small bipartisan group of […]

. Congressman Kurt Schrader Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) supported H.R. 3442, the Debt Management and Fiscal Responsibility Act, a bill that requires the Secretary of the Treasury to report to Congress on the Administration’s long-term debt reduction plan any time the country nears reaching the debt limit.

By Oregon Employment Department  Only 12 of Oregon’s 36 counties saw their home values rise between 2010 and 2014; all were rural with the exception of Benton County. Wheeler County’s median home value climbed the most since 2010, rising by $27,700 (21.8%) to $126,800. Wheeler County’s in-state ranking also improved, […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog The border effect, or the border tax effect, is a very real. Our office has previously written about it regarding sin/vice taxes, retail sales in the Gorge, and a broader look at Oregon-Washington taxes, including an academic paper I, along with […]

House Votes to Raise Cap on Noneconomic Damages Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business advocate HB 4136, increasing the cap on noneconomic damages in wrongful death cases from $500,000 to $1.5 million, passed the House on Wednesday, February 10. The debate, which was quite contentious, resulted in a 33-27 vote. […]