Oregon ranks high in spending upon state-by-state comparrison

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, An analysis of U.S. Census Bureau numbers shows Oregon state & local governments ranking higher than national state average when ranked among other 50 states. Below is a chart showing how Oregon ranks among the 50 states and another on how the District of Columbia ranks. The numbers are based…

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Tax Preperation Help: Remember limits of 3rd party tax helpers

Important update from the Oreogn Better Business Bureau: Better Business Bureau warns taxpayers that they are not exempt if their tax returns are prepared improperly by third-party professionals. BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington advises consumers to evade unqualified tax preparers: Designations: All tax professionals should be able to provide proof of credentials. Turn…

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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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