Private universities in Portland are seeing an increase in enrollment this year, possibly because people are tired of sitting at home and yearning to learn in classrooms on campuses. Some of those registering this year deferred enrollment in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. According to NPR, private colleges saw a dip in enrollment last…
Fraudsters, scammers, business owners and sex offenders have used fake court orders to force social media and search engines like Google to remove information they find offensive—a practice that federal lawmakers intend to stop. Whey they want to authorize illegal wire taps or surveillance or force removal of online content, they’ve simply copied and pasted…
Hundreds of thousands of Oregonians were left unemployed due to the government-mandated shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Oregon Employment Department had a (fully predictable, preventable) system crash during the pandemic. The Department was faulted by media for letting employee sit idle all day long, sometimes playing video games, due to mismanagement. Then It’s phone…
As new opportunities emerge for private space travel, Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) eyes the opportunity for a new tax. The Securing Protections Against Carbon Emissions (SPACE) Tax proposes a new excise tax on flights into space for purposes other than scientific research. NASA would qualify for exemptions. According to Blumenauer, the tax includes a tier…
Oregon lawmakers approved a record breaking $29.4 two-year budget budget. The years started off with Governor Brown’s $25.6 billion blueprint budget and ended with a $3.5 billion surplus — infused with billions from Congress. Never in modern history has so much tax money come into Oregon State collections. Special last minute projects:* – $300 million…
By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon Oregon businesses growing and selling cannabis want the ability to sell their product to people in other states, but until the federal law changes making marijuana legal, Gov. Kate Brown says her hands are tied, according to the Portland Business Journal. Sixteen states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the…
By Taxpayers Foundation of Oregon Oregon’s state senators in a 19-8 vote approved a bill to make it easier to convert hotels and motels into temporary shelters and affordable long-term housing for people who lost their homes in wildfires or other emergencies. The measure, already approved by the House, will go Gov. Kate Brown for…
By Taxpayer Association of Oregon, When the pandemic began, cannabis sales soared, but sales drops in the second half of 2020 prompted Oregon state economists for the first time in three years to reduce how much they think cannabis sales taxes will generate. The economic forecast predicts the 17 percent cannabis tax will add $301.6…
By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, It’s likely to take weeks—or more likely months—for Oregonians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine to actually receive a shot in the arm. That’s because the demand for the vaccine far exceeds the limited supplies, according to the association representing Oregon hospitals. Gov. Kate Brown outlined an ambitious timeline for…
OREGONIANS APPROVED OVER 70 TAXES IN 2020 — Voters approved 29 local taxes (property, hotel, bonds, renewals, etc.) during the May Election, and 50 more during the November Election. The most common type of tax increase was taxes related to property. Some of the largest tax increases were the $1.2 billion Portland School Bond…