Timothy Duy Director, Oregon Economic Forum The PMBI tumbled 6% compared to the final quarter of 2008, and is down 16.4% from year ago levels. Highlights of the report include: • Labor markets remain soft. Initial unemployment claims continued to climb during the quarter, while help wanted advertising declined.  The […]

Senate Democrats to Bring Back the Likely Unconstitutional “Employer Gag Bill” By J.L. Wilson Associated Oregon Industries Oregon’s largest business lobby SB 519 will again be brought to the Senate Floor for a vote.  Right on the heels of twisting enough arms to pass a massive extension on product liability […]

By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting, My friends are telling me I’m an idiot.  I was quoted in the local newspaper last week saying that our high unemployment rate was a bit of a mystery.  Both friends and strangers have told me that it’s simple: our state has high unemployment […]

Barran Liebman LLP Electronic Alert 1. IRS Relaxes Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan Restrictions 2. Union Pension Plans May Require Increased Employer Contributions 3. New Details on Obama’s Healthcare Proposal Three important developments require attention by employers sponsoring retirement and health plans for their employees.

Kathy Querin, PMAR Chief Executive Officer:  Portland, Ore. — If you’re thinking about purchasing your first home, have good credit, and can afford a mortgage payment, but have been sitting on the fence, wondering when to make your move, there are 8,000 reasons that may push you right off to […]

Oregon Small Business Association, The push for digital medical records, fueled by $19 billion from the federal stimulus package, would completely change the way doctors prescribe and practice medicine—by digitizing the entire medical record-keeping process.  Backers say such technology will cut costs and save lives.  But a growing body of […]

By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting LLC, Today’s report on consumer confidence lends credence to economic forecasts that call for a recovery soon.

Credit Cards, Asymmetric Information and the Role of Government in Preventing Bad Choices By Patrick Emerson Oregon Economics Blog The new credit card (and guns) bill is about to be signed into law and it begs the question: what is the market failure that this government intervention is suppose to […]