Quite a few requests coming in these days to talk about trade, its economic impact and the outlook for both the nation (new trade agreements) and local (Port of Portland marine operations) economies. There are lots of numbers flying around and it can be hard to tell which ones are […]

Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business advocate Preliminary analysis of Moro decision shows PERS costs will rise nearly 5% in 2017-19, costing nearly $750 million. The Oregon Supreme Court delivered its decision  in the case of Moro v State of Oregon. The Court overturned the vast majority of the PERS […]

By John Charles, Cascade Policy Institute A 120-day “pilot project” by the City of Portland has just begun to allow private car-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft to legally compete with cab companies. Given the consumer demand for such services, there is little doubt that the Portland experiment will […]

Congressman Kurt Schrader In an effort to keep Congress answerable to the taxpayers they serve, Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-05) reintroduced the Hold Congress Accountable Act. “In the real world, if you don’t do your job, you don’t get paid. In Congress, we are tasked with keeping the government running. Therefore, […]

U.S. Chamber of Commerce The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for passing, with strong bipartisan support, H.R. 1650, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act (PCNA), and H.R. 1731, the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015 (NCPAA). “This necessary legislation will improve information sharing between businesses […]

By Oregon Better Business Bureau Buying and selling secondhand goods on Craigslist can be a handy way to pick up some extra cash—or snag a great deal. If you’re not keen on having strangers meet you at your home, there’s a solution that’s been popping up all over the U.S. […]

The crazy mixed up world of “free” electricity where the homeless get arrested and Tesla owners get subsidies By Dr. Eric Fruits, Econ Minute Blog, Oregon In Portland, OR, Street Roots reports that a homeless former social worker with muscular dystrophy was hit with a misdemeanor theft charge for charging […]

By Josh Lehner Oregon Office of Economic Analysis Blog What follows is a mostly graphical update on the landscape of jobs across Oregon. As mentioned in the previous post on the state more broadly, Oregon is near full-throttle rates of growth. This acceleration has largely come from the pick-up in […]

Miller Nash LLP, Oregon and Washington Law Firm Implications for Businesses as Oregon Attorney General Fights for More Detailed Data Breach Notifications, and Increased Involvement in Data Breach Situations As reported in an interview with The Privacy Advisor, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is seeking the following three changes to […]

By NFIB Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner is distributing a plan for increased local government control to municipalities around the state with the hope that they will pass resolutions of support. His plan, which he calls the “Turnaround Agenda,” calls for legislators in Springfield to pass legislation authorizing “home rule” communities […]