Minimum wage will increase in 2011 despite overall decrease in state CPI By  J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon industries, Oregon employers will find themselves disadvantaged once again in 2011 by Oregon’s minimum wage law that increases the state minimum wage based on increases in the state Consumer Price Index (CPI). Oregon’s […]

Treasurer Wheeler says General Fund debt capacity reduced as a result of recession, urges caution — Oregon’s strong credit rating has been maintained because of fiscal discipline, Treasurer says SALEM – The global recession is hurting the state’s General Fund debt capacity, and State Treasurer Ted Wheeler has recommended a […]

$107M flap caused by one of the state’s highest paid By Oregon Tax News, State radio network is 22% over budget Plans to build a statewide emergency radio network are running late and $107 million over budget, according to internal state audits and reports. The documents indicate that mismanagement, missed […]

U.S. Chamber Urges Supreme Court to Review Largest Employment Class Action in History — Unless the High Court Steps In, the West Coast will Become Haven for Bet-the-Business Class Actions, Chamber Argues By US Chamber of Commerce, WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today filed an amicus brief urging the […]

Amy Vander Vliet By Oregon Employment Department The national economic slowdown has impacted Oregon. While the recovery plods on, it is turning out to be one of the slowest on record according to the latest quarterly forecast (September 2010) from the state Office of Economic Analysis (OEA). The second quarter […]

NW law firm FCC Commissioner Baker Suggests No Government Support for Media, But Possible Relaxation of Broadcast Ownership Rules By David Oxenford Davis, Wright, Tremaine LLP FCC Commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker recently delivered a speech in Washington, DC, where she addressed calls for the government to take action to assist […]

Are You Ready for a New Window Sticker with a Letter Grade? José Pinomesa, Chairman Oregon Independent Auto Dealers Association A window sticker provides a lot of information for consumers who are shopping for a brand new car or truck.  It provides a listing of the standard equipment plus any […]

Oregon, Washington and Virginia Eye Liquor Reform By Oregon Tax News, In November, Washington voters will have the opportunity to vote on two initiatives regarding the privatization of liquor stores and revising laws concerning regulation, taxation and government revenues from the distribution and sale of spirits.  If passed, Initiatives 1100 […]

The Recession Was Over! (June of Last Year) By Bill Conerly, Conerly Consulting, Businomics That nasty old recession is finally over. Turned out it was over June 2009. But now we know it officially. The arbiter of business cycles is a committee at the non-governmental National Bureau of Economic Research, […]

By Business Cycle Dating Committee, National Bureau of Economic Research CAMBRIDGE September 20, 2010 – The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research met yesterday by conference call. At its meeting, the committee determined that a trough in business activity occurred in the U.S. economy in […]