Oregon lost 3,700 jobs in hospitality, manufacturing, financial activities, and retail trade jobs.
By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation
Private jobs are shrinking while government jobs are growing.
The Oregon Employment Department reported in December that Oregon had a total of -1,900 jobs in hospitality, -1,800 in manufacturing, -1,000 in financial activities, and -900 in retail trade. The key industries that lost jobs in manufacturing were wood products, machinery, and transportation manufacturing in December and throughout 2024. However, the most significant loss in manufacturing was the critical semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing, which contributed to the most loss in December of 1,500 jobs.
While these key economic sectors were cut, the public sector grew. “December’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+1,900 jobs) and government (+700).”
Oregon needs more than just the public sector to sustain its economy; with the current tax burden, Oregon doesn’t need to increase taxes but provide relief to businesses and all Oregonians.
At the end of 2024, Taxpayers Association produced this graphic comparing job cuts to Kotek’s new government job hiring plan.
