Williams is a life-long taxpayer advocate who has archived the state’s largest collection of government waste. Jason heads both the Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation and its sister organization, Taxpayer Association of Oregon.

Six Regional Tax Assistance Programs

Dept. of Revenue, Tax season is underway, and the Oregon Department of Revenue would like to remind taxpayers that assistance is available at five district offices throughout the state and the agency’s main office in Salem. Taxpayers can receive help from Revenue employees 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following locations:…

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Latest developments on cybersecurity & privacy

By Oregon Tax News, Walden outlines agenda Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), Chairman of the Communications and Technology subcommittee, outlined his agenda for the new year. He plans to work on freeing up more government spectrum for commercial broadband. He will also push for implementation of the FCC Process Reform Act, which would restrict the agency’s…

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Free Tax Preperation Help for Newberg

Notice of tax assisstance Newberg area: George Fox University’s Accounting Club is offering free tax preparation and e-filing assistance to local residents. Dates for help sessions are four Saturdays: March 2 and 9 and April 6 and 13. The Tax-Aide program is designed to help taxpayers prepare their returns. The service is especially geared toward…

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Why consumers are shrinking their spending

 By Oregon Tax News The U.S. Commerce Department reported that January retail sales rose at the lowest rate in three months. That number is bolstered by a study from the National Retail Federation (NRF) indicating that 45.7 percent of consumers are cutting back on spending. The effect is directly tied to the restoration of the…

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Congress debates national ID card

By Oregon Tax News In an attempt to deal with the immigration issue, key senators are considering a bill which would force all workers, citizens and non-citizens alike, to prove their eligibility to work via a national biometric ID card, using fingerprints or other personal markers. Biometric ID vs. E-Verify No firm decisions have been…

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The student loan bubble

By Oregon Tax News The economic impact of high student debt is a growing concern as more young adults are entering the workforce with a staggering debt burden and limited employment options.  Some experts say the student loan industry is a bubble similar to the housing bubble that popped five years ago.  Though not all…

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Watchdog group cites CRC report

 By Oregon Tax News  The watchdog taxpayer group, Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS), has included the Columbia River Crossing Bridge in its list of what it terms “common sense cuts to avoid the fiscal cliff.” The cuts total $2.0 trillion, which is more than enough to avoid sequestration, the across-the-board budget cuts mandated by law…

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Data on the California exodus

By Oregon Tax News California, once an epicenter of population growth and economic opportunity, is losing more residents to other states than it is taking in, according to a new study by the Manhattan Institute. Released in September 2012, “The Great California Exodus: A Closer Look” reports that California has lost 3.4 million residents since…

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States advance on Amazon tax and online gambling

By Oregon Tax News In an effort to generate more money, cash-strapped states are turning to two controversial solutions—an Internet retail sales tax and legalizing online gambling. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that an Internet sales tax, referred to as the Amazon tax, could generate $23 billion for states. Historically, online retailers like Amazon…

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Five students honored for education excellence

The Taxpayer Foundation is recognizing five outstanding students for their essays on their Oregon education experience and opinions.   The diversity of opinions range from authors in the 5th grade to recent college graduates covering a wide breadth of topics from the personal to policy suggestions.   Oregon is honored to have these young and talented voices in…

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