By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog While non-technology Oregon exports are plunging with declining global demand and the strong dollar, one category continues to see growth. Oregon’s alcohol exports reached an all-time high in 2015, led by the state’s breweries. According to various sources, our beer exports […]

Congressman Kurt Schrader   Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) introduced legislation to lower drug prices through increased competition in the pharmaceutical market. The Lower Drug Costs through Competition Act (HR 4784) will speed up FDA approval of generic drugs where there is no competition, and will […]

By Oregon Department of Revenue, Oregon’s top 100 delinquent income taxpayers owe millions in unpaid taxes, and the state is testing a new way to collect that debt. The Oregon Department of Revenue’s website now features a list of the top delinquent taxpayers for both the personal income tax and […]

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 225 food and agricultural companies and associations including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association sent a letter to members of Congress calling for a swift vote on the Trans Pacific Partnership. NCBA President Tracy Brunner says cattle producers cannot wait any longer to level the playing field. […]

University of Oregon Economic Indexes By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Economic Indicators: The Oregon economy continued to grow in February at a pace consistent with past expansions. Highlights of the report include: – The Oregon measure of economic activity was a touch softer than the […]

By Oregon Employment Department, Oregon’s unemployment rate dropped to a record low of 4.5 percent in March—the lowest point since comparable records began in 1976. Oregon’s February unemployment rate was 4.8 percent. A year ago, in March 2015, Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent. With the U.S. unemployment rate at […]

By Oregon NFIB A new House bill would have opened small business up to more labor regulations and legal liabilities. Oregon’s House Business and Labor Committee recently killed a bill that would have established “familial status” as a new protected class under Oregon employment law.

Protesters interrupted a Multnomah County hearing to demand an immediate Rent Freeze law in Multnomah County. Below is a news video clip of the protest from KATU-2.

By Bullard Law, Portland law firm Merle Haggard passed away. Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM spent the day remembering Haggard – with lots of music (hits and otherwise), interviews with other artists, and telephone call-ins from ordinary folks touched by Haggard’s music or by a personal encounter with him along the […]

By Oregon Employment Department, During 2015, Oregon’s private employers were looking to fill about 48,000 job vacancies at any given time, according to new annual figures from the Oregon Employment Department’s Job Vacancy Survey. The Job Vacancy Survey provides a snapshot of the labor market job seekers face.