Rep. Weidner: A cure for newborns

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, Rep. Jim Weidner is working on a bill to start a pilot program to screen newborns for Krabbe disease. Unless the disease is caught very early, it is fatal. The parents of 5-year-old Marshall Wilson, who is dying of the disease, urged Oregon legislators to include Krabbe testing for all…

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Rep. Bentz: Rural Oregon to get self-serve gas choice

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation A bill that would allow self-service gas at rural stations between 6 PM and 6 AM when no attendant is present has passed unanimously in the House. The bill (HB 3011), sponsored by State Representative Cliff Bentz (R-Ontario), applies only to counties with fewer than 40,000 people. Bentz said…

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Oregon as a Purple Heart State

Rep. Huffman: Securing Oregon as a Purple Heart state By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation House passes State Representative John Huffman’s resolution designating Oregon a Purple Heart State On June 3 the House unanimously passed a resolution designating Oregon as a Purple Heart State. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. John Huffman (R-District 59) and others,…

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Senator Thomsen: View from a farmer

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Senator Chuck Thomsen is a Hood River pear farmer who is watching the Legislature roll-out Ag destroying bills with no concern for the average family farmer. Thomsen explains that non-farmer lawmakers treat farming as it were a big businesses in a steady stream of annual profits. That is not…

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Labor force drop a drag across region

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: Measures of economic activity softened somewhat in March, but still indicate further gains in Oregon’s metro areas.  Highlights of the report include: Moving average measures of activity – which smooth monthly volatility –…

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Drought & Oregon economy

Release by Josh Lerner, Office Economic Analsysi As the drought continues to worsen and spread, its impact — both potential and real — on the economy is a risk to the outlook, particularly at the local level. Our office included the following slide in our presentation to the Legislature at the last forecast release.

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Protecting churches from crushing lawsuits

Bill Limits Religious Lawsuit Damages By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Oregon Senate Resolution 12 would limit awards of non-economic damages against religious organizations to $1 million. The proposed amendment to the Oregon Constitution would be referred to the people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election.

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An idea to save our forests

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation (Photo by Staff, Michelle L.L. Binker) State Representative Carl Wilson has a plan to quickly fix Oregon’s forest crisis before the terrible looming deadline this July 1st for when the timber payments run out and leave counties without the support they were promised when their land was taken away.…

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Rep. Whisnant: Stop funding phantom jobs

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation State Representative Gene Whisnant is working on House Bill 2856 which identifies and stops vacant state positions which could end up costing the state as much as $300 million. This bill targets vacant positions that have been vacant for 6-months of more. Vacant government positions that receive funding are…

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Oregon continues steady growth

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon The economic expansion continued across Oregon in February.  Highlights of the report include: Moving average measures of activity – which smooth monthly volatility – indicate that all areas are growing near or above their average pace of…

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