News

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Last year, union membership in Oregon dropped by 7.6 percent, registering the sixth largest drop in the country. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2017 to 2018, Oregon unions lost 20,000 members. This is the eighth largest drop in the country and is…

In a sign of the times, on Thursday the Portland airport had a box accepting food donations for federal airport workers and by Saturday it was taken down as the shutdown ended. The Willamette Week reported that almost 2,000 federal workers in Oregon have applied for unemployment benefits because of the partial government shutdown.

Oregon hospitals just got hit with a $320 million revenue tax last year with House Bill 2161 (also known as Measure 101). Now Oregon lawmakers are coming back to tax them again by stripping away their charitable property tax benefits. It’s been a long-standing policy that hospital and healthcare clinics that provide charity care can…

America’s uninsured rate held essentially steady from 2016 to 2017, according to recently released U.S. Census Bureau figures. Oregon, however, one of the few states to see a significant uptick in the uninsured rate.

Comparing Oregon to other states helps us understand and communicate how prosperous the State of Oregon government actually is.   We also included regulations as they are a different form of taxation because government gets to achieve a goal for free but at a significant expense to a small business or a taxpayer family budget.

The Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed connecting state’s pension problems with home values. While the article doesn’t mention Oregon, our PERS crisis and housing affordability problems make the article especially relevant.

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Many Oregon businesses and residents feel like state government meddles too much in their everyday lives. They also feel like all this meddling does not do much to make their day-to-day lives much better. New research shows they may be correct. Oregon has the sixth highest number of regulatory…

Oregon politicians broke the law in setting convicted criminals free In 2017, the Governor and the Legislature approved House Bill 3078 which reduced prison time 20% to 30% for Identity Thieves, Auto theft and Property crimes. Politicians blatantly broke the law by releasing criminals early in violation of the Oregon Constitution. Voters put minimum sentencing…

The Oregon Transportation Commission discussed (see Oregonian article, Portland Tribune article) the feasibility of tolling the highways of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 with the projections of raising $300 million in additional tax revenue. The Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation predicting this debate conducted an extensive mail survey of its supporters last month.   Over 400…

In a large statewide straw poll of 400 Oregon taxpayers, Oregonians were asked to identify the issues they were most concerned about going in to the 2018 elections. With a potentially competitive Governor’s race and control of the Legislature at stake, voters expressed deep concern about the fiscal management of the State.

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Oregon’s income growth is lagging the nation and cannot keep pace with inflation. According to data released by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis last month, U.S. income growth per person grew by 2.4 percent. In contrast, personal income per person in Oregon increased by only 1.9 percent. To…

IRS audits at 15 year low. By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, For the sixth straight year IRS tax audits have been declining and have set a new 15 low in 2017 according to the Wall Street Journal. The year, 2010 was their peak, and since then they have lost a third of their enforcement staff.…

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, The most recent population estimates from the Census Bureau show that Portland’s population growth has slowed to the lowest level in years.

Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation The State recently gained an ally in President Trump, who cited Oregon’s per mile charge as an innovative way to achieve revenues needed to realize his plans for updating and improving the country’s infrastructure. Trump’s plan seeks to mix federal funding with State and local contributions as well as investments…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Housing is the single biggest factor driving the cost-of-living. Recent research finds Portland, Oregon is one of the most “severely unaffordable” major housing markets in the world — ranking 67th. Because of the high cost of housing, Oregon has the fifth highest cost-of-living in the U.S. The reason for…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, The landmark tax reform bill passed by Congress has already started reaping benefits even before it’s provisions take effect. The bill, which will reduce taxes for 80 percent of Americans and dramatically lowered tax rates for Corporations and other businesses, became effective January 1, 2018. Here are some of…

Oregonians could soon be paying $4 or more for a gallon of gas if lawmakers pass cap-and-trade in the next year, according to the Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation. Recent surveys from the AAA of Oregon and Washington indicates this would amount to a 40 percent increase in the price consumers are currently paying at…

The latest numbers show that Oregon jumped from 10th to 6th biggest state and local government spending state in the nation per capita according to the National Association of State Budget Officers, latest State Expenditure Report and estimates for 2016. This means Oregon out spends, per person, 44 others US states in terms of total…

How Oregon compares to other states on itemized tax deductions less mortgage interest and charitable gifts.  Provided by Oregon Office of Economic Analysis.  This will play an important role in the national tax reform debate.

586 Fee Increases Totaling $374 million! Taxpayers feel like their being secretly robbed through hidden fees The Politicians didn’t need to raise taxes to bring in nearly a half billion in new revenue — they just raised fees instead.

Governor Brown is at it again. In the works is another new, monstrous tax. A new $600 million dollar per year tax to grow even larger in subsequent years. (Quick calculation: that is $150 per year for each man woman and child in Oregon) It will be sold as a “Cap and Trade” carbon tax.

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Multnomah County filed a $250 million lawsuit in August against drug companies, distributors, and doctors. The county alleges a conspiracy to hide the danger of prescription pain pills in order to promote the widespread, long-term and lucrative use of their opioid products. Last week, Governor Kate Brown’s task force…

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon Oregon lawmakers just passed $530 million in new vehicle and gas taxes.   Most Oregonians do not know the coming sticker shock and taxes that are heading their way. Here is what the $530 million in new road taxes includes:

Million of your tax dollars were over-collected by the state of Oregon during the current budget cycle.  Oregon voters approved a law that requires lawmakers to return over-collected tax revenue to those who paid it. The average Oregon Tax Refund is $227 and can be claimed when you file your 2017 taxes next year. Use…

This great chart shows which Oregon region are experiencing the job growth compared to their recession lows

Oregon’s 2017 Legislative Session began with laments of a “budget crisis” and “shortfall”. To close the gap between what previous Legislatures had promised to spend and the actual amount of money available, virtually every kind of tax increase imaginable was proposed. At the end of the Session, and with only marginal new or increased taxes…

The Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) crisis has hit a $22 billion deficit and the Legislature seems paralyzed to address the crisis.  The media is sounding the alarm and experts are hinting that we might have to fall off a cliff before changes will come. A website Oregon Ponzi Scheme helps to compare the Bernie…

Oregon Regional Economic Indicators (click chart for larger view) By UofO Oregon Economic Indicators Regional economies experienced some mixed numbers in February, but underlying trends remain solid. Highlights of this month’s report include: – For all regions, moving average measures (which smooth monthly volatility) remain above zero, indicating above trend activity. Recall that these figures…

Governor Brown’s Office Delays Public Records Request By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, The Bend Bulletin Editorial Board stated last summer on Oregon Governor Kate Brown “The governor’s office is so slow to fill requests for her calendar and documents relating to it as to render the final product useless or nearly so.” A few weeks…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Governor Kate Brown and some lawmakers say the State of Oregon is facing a $1.7 billion budget shortfall in the 2017-19 biennium. Yet, this shortfall is in the face of all-time high tax money coming in to state government.

The Oregon Legislature begins today and taxpayers should pay attention. The Oregon Legislature is looking at over a 100 tax and fee increase proposals.  The Oregon Legislature will also look at rule changes which will have the effect of raising taxes and costs on taxpayers and businesses.  The Oregon budget will grow by over a…

Oregon Department of Revenue Press Release, As of December 31, 2016, the Department of Revenue has received $60.2 million in marijuana tax payments since the state began taxing recreational marijuana in January 2016. Additional marijuana tax data is available at www.oregon.gov/dor/stats Marijuana tax receipt information will be updated on this page monthly, generally toward the…

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon Health insurance prices on the Obamacare exchanges have been published on HealthCare.gov, and it’s not good news. Higher premiums, higher deductibles, and fewer choices. Fewer plans: Last year, residents in Portland, Oregon had a choice of 87 plans. This year, we get only 37 plans from which to choose (1).

Governor Brown introduces Son of 97 Tax By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, – $300 million small business tax – $530 million health care tax – 100% Liquor tax increase – 64% tobacco tax increase Tax burden falls on small business as big business goes untouched: Twenty four days after Oregonians rejected the Measure 97…

Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: Oregon’s regional economies remain strong. Most regions are modestly below their peak growth rates of the cycle and look like they are in a mature phase of the business cycle. Highlights of this month’s report include: – For all regions, moving average measures (which smooth monthly volatility) remain above zero, indicating…

Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, Nov.16th, 2016 Portland, Oregon is famous for its modish devotion to organic foods and craft beers. Now the city is embracing a new trend that could leave local workers with a very bitter aftertaste. It’s a fresh tax on business and it could be coming to a city near you,…

Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Release, September numbers were mostly positive Oregon’s regional economies. Underling trends continue to indicate solid growth. Highlights of this month’s report include: – For all regions, moving average measures (which smooth monthly volatility) remain above zero, indicating above average activity. Recall that these figures measure…

A good test of budget growth versus people’s ability to pay is comparing it against population and inflation combined.  

1996 – $56 million DMV software crash (1) 1999 – $200 million over-time scandal (2) 2000 – $1.4 billion the state neglected to collect (3) 2005 – $524 million hidden school fund uncovered by media (4) 2006 – $40 million in DUI fines un-collected (5) 2008 – $60 million Data Center boondoggle (6) 2009 –…

Looking at 35 years of Oregon State Budget Growth shows that Oregon has had a near perfect streak of positive growth except for one budget cycle.

An analysis by the Oregon Employment Department data on job growth shows that Oregon is adding new government jobs at a fast pace.  In 2014, Oregon added 4,600 new government jobs, 5,400 added in 2015 and 5,800 for 2016.  There are some periods where employment slows or declines, but the three year trend is fast…

A report from the State Legislative Fiscal Office and the Statesman Journal (3/1/16) compare numbers between state employees and average Oregonians worker salaries including benefits.  The numbers show that State Employees ($89,000) make nearly double what average Oregonians make ($45,893).

Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins released the annual report on Oregon’s government waste hotline. In 2015, the hotline received 243 initial reports. This continues an upward trend: there were 180 reports in 2014, 154 in 2013, and 145 in 2012. Data prior to 2011 is not comparable due to changes in the reporting system.…

Oregon state & local government spend more per capita in the West and more than 39 other states.   You can compare on the chart below.

Poll: 78% unaware of PERS disaster By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Oregon’s public employee retirements system (PERS) is now a staggering $20-$22 billion in unfunded liability. Just this week it was announced that it grew by another $3 billion and made front page news. A 2015 telephone poll of 300 Oregonians by the Taxpayer…

Taxpayer Foundation researcher Richard Leonetti was on KATU-TV over Hillsboro paying $100,000 for a jumbo-tron TV. KATU-TV News transcript — Dec. 10 2015:  The City of Hillsboro spent more than $110,000 on a large television display used during city council meetings at the Shirley Huffman Auditorium at the Hillsboro Civic Center.”If you ‘re attending the…

An Oregon poll examines at a hot-button issue to gauge where Oregonians stand on privacy & liberty against the needs of security & law enforcement.

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided by Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: October measures of economic activity were generally solid across all regions in Oregon.  Highlights of the report include: Moving average measures of activity – which smooth monthly volatility – indicate that the Portland…

Nearly 200 people showed up to the Portland Airport Shilo Inn to celebrate the 25th Birthday of Measure 5 on December 2nd.   The cake read “You saved our home” Without Measure 5 your property taxes would be 40% higher!

You can protect the legacy of Measure 5 with a donation to the Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon. Make a donation of cash, stock, vehicles or other items here. It almost didn’t happen…

Last year, Oregon was ranking among the worst states in several important categories. The Taxpayer Foundation helped to raise awareness and solicit ideas from Oregon taxpayers on how we could do better.

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum July was another solid month for regional economies in Oregon. Highlights of the report include:

Common Kicker questions: By Oregon Department of Revenue, Kicker credit: Can I claim the full kicker credit if my spouse recently died and the income was included in our 2014 joint return? ​Yes, you may claim the entire credit on your 2015 return even though you may be filing using the single status. Kicker credit:…

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon A lack of cell phone towers and reliable Internet service is hurting business in rural Oregon. “We use our cell phones on the farm because we need them to communicate with each other,” said a farmer in Vale, Oregon. “Even with a cell phone booster in the house, our service…

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: Measures of activity strengthened in June across almost all of Oregon’s major metro areas. Highlights of the report include: – Most regions in Oregon are growing at or above their average pace of…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation A bill (HB 3139) sponsored by Rep. Cedric Hayden was signed into law on May 21, making it easier for mobile medical clinics to go into communities to provide much needed medical and dental care. The law prohibits local government from preventing mobile clinics from parking on private property…

Justin Brecht of Canby has won the 2015 Next Generation essay contest and a new Apple Watch as top prize! The Taxpayer Association created the contest to give a voice to Oregon’s younger generation. Please read his amazing essay on how serving in Iraq help shape his political worldview. “How my own personal experience shaped…

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: In general measures of activity remained soft in May compared to earlier in the year. Still, all major metropolitan regions in Oregon are growing at or above their average pace of activity.  Highlights…

Press Release Provided by Josh Lerner, Office of Economic Analysis, This edition of the Graph of the Week highlights the relationship between home prices and new home construction across the 50 largest metros in the country. (Original graph idea from Jed Kolko, formerly of Trulia.) It comes out of some work Tim Duy and I…

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: University of Oregon Regional Economic Indicators Measures of activity softened during the spring, but still indicate that all areas are growing at or above their average pace of activity. Highlights of the report…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation On June 25, 2015, the house passed a bill by Representative Duane Stark that would give legal protection to sobering centers, places where police can take people who are publicly intoxicated. Under current law, police can take intoxicated people home, to treatment facilities, or if none are available, to…

Rep. Huffman: Honoring Vets with Three Highways By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Three highways in Oregon have become Veterans Memorial Highways. The bill, HB 2036, sponsored by Representative John Huffman (R-District 59) and 18 others, was signed into law on May 21.  US Hwy 395 was designated as the World War I Veterans…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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 –…

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.

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.

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.…

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…

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…

Release by Josh Lerner, Office of Economic Analysis, Just a quick update on the quality of Oregon’s job growth in recent years. This continues our office’s work on job polarization — the fact that much of the job growth is concentrated in both the high- and low-end of the wage spectrum. As discussed before, the…

Jodi Hack has Tax Credit for Volunteer Firefighters By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation A tax credit for volunteer firefighters is moving forward in the legislative process. Sponsored by Rep. Jodi Hack and ten other representatives, House Bill 3189 would give a $250 credit against income taxes that are due to volunteers who have given…

Capitol Newsletter April 2015 Rep. Bill Kennemer: Is big government exempt from small lawsuits Rep. Bill Post: End Anti-Lunch Law Rep. Gene Whisnant: Un-transparent half-billion fund

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon State Senator Fred Girod has sponsored a spending limit bill (SB 866) that would limit the growth of government. SB 866 would limit appropriations for general governmental purposes to the lesser of the percentage increase in projected (1) personal income, (2) population growth plus inflation, or (3) gross domestic product.

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Rep. Bill Kennemer has introduced a bill, HB 2612, to remove the special treatment mass transit and other governmental bodies has with its exemption from being sued in claims court. The problem arose from his constituent, Bennett Johnson, the owner of the Fearless Brewing Company. One of the company’s…

Special considerations for military personnel filing in Oregon As the personal income tax return filing deadline approaches, there are a few things military personnel stationed in Oregon or those stationed outside of Oregon who claim Oregon as their home of record should keep in mind. “Oregon residents stationed outside the state and nonresidents stationed here…

Read our Capitol News letter here. Representative Julie Parish: Nine ethic reform ideas Representative Barreto: What drives business away Representative Pilusio: Helping women veterans

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: Regional economies rocketed into the New Year with solid growth in January.  Highlights of the report include:

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, State Representative Bill Post has sponsored House Bill 3101 that protects accident injury victims from collection agencies while they are awaiting a legal action for the payments of their bills. The bill originated from a constituent horror story involving a family whose daughter was struck by a driver and…

Senator Hass, Representative McLane: Historic Tech Tax Upgrade By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation A rare bipartisan effort for a major tax reform has been advanced with SB 661 which aims to fix Oregon’s 1800’s tax structure that finds itself destroying 21st Century technology. Two lawmakers stand-out on this issue, State Senator Mark Hass who…

By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation, Oregon State Senator Alan Olsen’s SB 435 would eliminate anonymous mystery bill amendments by requiring amendments to identify the state Legislator who proposed it. Anonymous legislation passing through the Legislature only reinforces the back-room deals aura of Salem and has the effect of shutting out the public who wish…

Read Capitol Newsletter here. What’s inside Senator Olsen: No More mystery bills Representative Greg Barreto: Real life business plan trumps paid sick mandate Representative Sherrie Sprenger: Cougar sighting raises alarm

By Oregon Department fo Revenue Newsroom release Starting with the filing of 2014 returns this year, the Oregon Department of Revenue will be assessing penalties for failing to file information returns electronically. Oregon requires businesses filing any number of W2s or more than ten 1099s to file those electronically through iWire by March 31.

Government’s use of technology to keep track of citizens is advancing exponentially, and Oregon Senator Tim Knopp believes we need to take a step back and evaluate what this means. Tim Knopp is sponsoring three bi-partisan bills in the current Legislative Session (SB 639, SB 640, SB 641) that would curtail government’s ability to store…

See our Capitol newsletter update…. Sen. Herman Baertschiger: Solving rural Oregon’s tax death trap Senator Tim Knopp: Privacy concerns over government car tracking Rep. Sal Esquivel: Killing this will boost timber, farming & ranching

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes Press Release provided By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: December was another strong month for most regional economies in Oregon.  Highlights of the report include: Moving average measures of activity – which smooth monthly volatility – indicate that all nearly areas are…

Release by Josh Lerner, Office of Economic Analysis, I don’t know if it’s paternal instincts or not, but I’ve been thinking a lot more about generations and demography lately. I just wanted to share some of graphs our office uses and talk briefly about why this is so important from an economic point of view.…

By Oregon Department of Revenue, The Oregon Department of Revenue has identified inconsistencies in recently-filed state tax returns prepared with third-party tax preparation software, indicating potential fraudulent activity. However, this is just one of many scams detected and stopped this filing season by the state’s tax administration agency. “Fraudulent attempts are on the rise and…

University of Oregon Regional Economic Indexes By Tim Duy Oregon Economic Forum University of  Oregon Oregon Regional Economic Indicators: Most regional economies in Oregon experienced above average growth in November.  Highlights of the report include: Moving average measures of activity – which smooth monthly volatility – indicate that all nearly areas are growing near or…

The Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation has been protecting your rights as a taxpayer for over 10 years! – We expose government waste, fraud & abuse – We fight in the courtroom to protect the rights and privacy of taxpayers – We educate taxpayers & lawmakers of gross tax mispending (while providing solutions to end…

Double digit spending & 40 tax increases proposed for 2015 Legislative Session By Taxpayer Association of Oregon Foundation Governor’s Budget & Proposals – Nearly 11% State spending increase – Freeze building new prison beds – $800 million in new government programs – Taking the people’s Kicker Income Tax refund – Creating the nation’s first billion…

Despite some people’s beliefs that Oregonians do not pay enough taxes, the opposite is very true by the fact that Oregon has the 16th highest state & local tax burden in the nation. Yet, taxes and fees continue to be raised.

There are over 50 local tax measures, bonds and levies on the Oregon November ballot.   Oregon Tax News is providing a large perspective on what is occurring at the local level among voters and tax measures. Clackamas County 3-446 Gladstone Library levy 3-447 Clackamas Comm. College Bonds 3-449 Colton Schools – Bonds 3-450 Vector Control…

By Taxpayer Foundation Of Oregon, Families can’t afford health care because Cover Oregon wasted ¼ billion.  Force yourself to read this entire article to fully understand how utterly catastrophic our state leaders have failed us. Top 10 disturbing facts about Cover Oregon Oregon spent a ¼ billion on a health care website that failed to…

Oregon property taxes up Many Washington County property owners will see as much as 13% property tax increase. Some Portland homes will witness an 11% increase in their property taxes. Clackamas property owners will see an average of 3% increase. Multnomah County homeowners will see a substantial increase in property taxes as a result of…

Nearly a month into Oregon’s Health Care Exchange and it is still not working and facing painful delays. The website’s failure is a gross disappointment despite the project’s spending over $82 million in taxpayer dollars. This is made even worse knowing the fact that Oregon was awarded the third largest federal grant to build the…

Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon Three of Oregon’s solar companies are laying of hundreds of employees as 2013 marks a terrible year for the solar industry. The solar industry has been heavily supported by taxpayer funds through tax credits and other financing operations. Salem’s Sanyo Solar announced the layoff of 52 workers, but will continue to…

By Oregon Tax News With 52% of foreclosed homes in the state vacant, Oregon has the fourth highest rate of “zombie foreclosures” in the country. A “zombie foreclosure” is an unoccupied home in foreclosure, but not yet foreclosed. Half of the approximately 2300 Oregon homes in foreclosure, but not yet foreclosed, are vacant, and almost…

By Oregon Tax News, Reaching the lowest point in 17 years, homeownership dropped to a seasonally adjusted 65.2 percent in the first quarter as more people chose to rent instead of purchase a home. The rate of homeownership peaked at 69.4 percent in 2004, and has followed a downward trend since the collapse of the…

By Oregon Tax News, What You Need to Know About the Internet Sales Tax This week the Senate passed the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act by a vote of 69 to 27.  Here are some important things to know about the bill. 1. Allows states to capture $11 billion in taxable income. it allows the 45…

By Oregon Tax News, A bill proposed by three prominent U.S. senators would give states broad new taxing power over online retailers located outside their boundaries. The Marketplace Fairness Act was proposed in February by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and could make shopping online more expensive and complicate…

By Oregon Tax News, Oregon is party to a multistate settlement with Google, Inc. for the unauthorized collection of information from unsecured wireless networks by its Street View vehicles. The agreement, signed by the attorneys general of 38 states and the District of Columbia, requires Google to educate employees on the privacy and confidentiality of…

Oregon Department of Revenue alert to tax filers by Fax The Oregon Department of Revenue is experiencing an interruption in fax service that has affected taxpayer communications to two of the agency’s key return processing units. Since Friday afternoon, Revenue has received 644 fax submissions to its Electronic Funds Transfer Unit (EFT) and Suspense Unit…

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…

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…

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:…

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…

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…

 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…

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…

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…

 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…

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…

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…

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…

By Oregon Tax News, Tim Geithner, U.S. Treasury Secretary, visited Portland in April and held a private meeting with about a dozen CEOs of major corporations. The Portland Business Journal wanted to know what was discussed behind the closed doors. Only one of those CEOs, Benchmade Knife Company’s Les de Asis, spoke to the media…

By Oregon Tax News The Portland City Council approved a new two percent hotel tax intended to help promote Portland tourism. The assessment applies to hotels with more than 50 rooms and takes effect on Oct. 1, 2012. Called the Portland Tourism Improvement District, the program will raise an estimated $6.6 million annually for tourism…

By Oregon Tax News, Identity thieves are using deceased people’s SSN and use it to claim him as a dependent. Then have the IRS send the ridiculously inflated refund to your prepaid debit card. Thieves spend the refund, and pull the same trick next year. The scam works when the victim died fairly recently. If…

A defining year for Clackamas Coutny Transportation By Oregon Tax News, Thsi fall, Clackamas County residents may have the opportunity to vote on a ballot measure that would require voter approval for Clackamas County’s participation in the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project (PMLR). Specifically, ballot measure 3-401 requires county officials to get voter approval before spending…

Natural Resource Legislative Review 2012 This report aims to look at Legislative impact of the 2012 Session on natural resource issues which is increasingly important as several issues relate to public and livestsock safety from wildlife harm and also the effectiveness of Oregon’s various agencies that currently spends over $800 million to manage its natural…

By Oregon Tax News There are huge trends and shifts in the media and it impacts how people consume their news. 1. Big U.S. media companies bought back record amounts of their own shares in the last year. Cable television networks drew strong viewership and advertising dollars, generating cash despite economic uncertainty. News Corp, Time…

By Oregon Tax News, Record high gas prices are expected to hit new records in the coming months. Below are a few questions and answers to better understand the current impact of high prices and what lies ahead as summer approaches: 1. How High Will Gas Prices Go? Gas prices have recently stalled, plateauing around…

Post office to close offices in Bend, Salem & Eugene. By Oregon Tax News, The U.S. Postal Service is making a few concessions to efficiency and closing four mail sorting centers in Oregon, part of its campaign to slash costs by closing more than 260 mail processing places nationwide. The Oregon facilities—located in Bend, Salem,…

Oregon’s Zoo & Convention Center losing revenue By Oregon Tax News Taxpayer-funded zoos and convention centers across the country are losing money. The Oregon Zoo and Convention Center are no exception. The Portland Business Journal recently cited an independent review conducted by Tampa-based Crossroads Consulting showing the Zoo and Convention Center contributed to a nearly…

Oregon health job loss: OHSU & Legacy By Oregon Tax News Hundreds of health care related jobs in the Portland Metro area are being cut and more losses could be on the way if state reforms fail to produce savings promised by lawmakers. In mid-December, KPTV reported that Legacy Health Systems plans to cut as…

By Oregon Tax News, The Boeing Company has avoided another costly strike after a critical deal was struck between executives and union leaders that both are calling a “win-win.” Under an agreement forged last week and ratified by Machinist union members on Wednesday, Boeing will move ahead with a new, non-union plant in South Carolina…

Foreclosures Still Plague Oregon Housing Market Account for One in Three Home Sales By Oregon Tax News Foreclosures continue to flood Oregon’s housing market and accounted for one-third of all home sales this spring. At 33 percent, Oregon’s housing market is in the top 10 in terms of foreclosed homes as a percentage of all…

Could a Bailout Save the Postal Industry? By Oregon Tax News, A 2010 GAO report detailed that the U.S. Postal Service is on the brink of an economic meltdown. There have been serious calls to save costs by ending Saturday service and to close nearly 2,000 office. Oregon has over 40 post offices on the…

By Oregon Tax News Oregon Tax News recently analyzed the information behind three different worst city ratings which included;”America’s Shrinking Cities List” (by MSNBC), “America’s Most Miserable City List” (Forbes) and “Worst Job Seeker City List” (US & World Report). The four most common factors of being among America’s worst cities were unemployment, high crime,…

By Oregon Tax News, The United States has not seen a balanced budget since 2001, leading to increasing national debt.  Although private banks in the U.S. hold the majority of the country’s debt, over 52% according to MSNBC, the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board estimate that foreign governments hold 4.4 trillion of the…

Economy, Aging and Sex Leads to Declining Workforce As the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age, USA TODAY reports that the working population fell to its lowest level last year since women entered the workforce nearly 30 years ago. In 2010, only 45.4% of Americans had jobs. This rate is down from 49.3% in 2000.…

Capital gains tax Oregon has one of the highest capital gains taxes in the nation. There are a few bills in the 2011 Legislature that would reduce these taxes. The issue is cut capital gains taxes is shared by many sides in the State capitol. Governor Kitzhaber has proposed cutting $25 million from capital gains…

100 Ways to Balance the State Budget without new taxes! In light of Oregon facing a budget crisis, the Taxpayer Foundation has issued a master list of budget balancing ideas that do not require raising taxes. These ideas have been collected from Oregon lawmakers, think tank groups, taxpayer organizations, unions, policy analysts, Democrats, Republicans and…

Is tech a new bubble to burst?  Should the Fed care? By Oregon Tax News, As technology expands, companies find themselves with increased market values.  The emergence of social media (more than 500 million accounts on Facebook alone), combined with mobile phone use (4.5 billion), is dramatically changing technology. Currently, Facebook is valued at $75…

States Consider Online Gambling to Raise Revenue By Oregon Tax News As states struggle to balance their budgets, they constantly search for new ways to increase revenue and decrease their deficits. Although there is a federal ban on Internet gambling, several states, led by New Jersey, battle to legalize online gambling by initiating state laws…

Oregonians flock to Washington to avoid tax bite By Oregon Tax News, Despite the decline in home sales, Clark County attracted 22 percent more out-of-town residents in 2010 than in 2009. Real estate experts believe the absence of income tax and low home prices contributed to the influx of new residents. Clark County boasts some…

Little People Stars Sue Washington County building inspectors By Oregon Tax News Little People, Big World stars Amy and Matt Roloff decided to sue Washington County for $200,000 and legal costs after John Wheeler, a Washington County building services inspector, allegedly trespassed on their Hillsboro farm on July 16, 2010. The complaint holds that Amy…

Texas Free Market Policies Beat California’s Economic Strategy Texas managed to pull itself out of the recession with its free market policies during a time when California’s economy continues to decline. The Chief Executive magazine ranked California as the worst business climate in the nation, while Texas’ ranked the best. Experts attribute Texas’ vast natural…

Warning Signs for Renewable Energy By Oregon Tax News Signs of renewable energy storm clouds… – 86% of new Congress Freshmen oppose climate change legislation – 17 Senators signed a letter calling ethanol indefensible and unwise – Both Al Gore and Obama’s Energy Secretary Steven Chu blasted ethanol in the past few weeks – The…

Money is not the teacher problem in Portland By Richard Leonetti, By Oregon Tax News, A response to the Portland Public School’s call for a half-billion education bond and The Oregonian Editorial Board’s response. Not so fast with a property tax increase of $2.00 per thousand for Portland Schools. Portland Schools already have borrowed $470…

By Oregon Tax News, – Did you know that of the 50 best-performing CEOs in the world only 14 had an MBA? Josh Kaufman, a 28-year-old entrepreneur and former assistant brand manager for Procter & Gamble (P&G), thinks business school is a waste of time and money. Instead of paying $80,000 to $100,000 to attain…

The youth jobless numbers are staggering, and it is wrecking housing, consumer spending and marriage rates By Oregon Tax News, This year, the nation hit a record high unemployment rate more than 17% of 20 to 24-year-olds. The Labor Department reports that even young adults with college degrees face a 9.3% jobless rate. The figure…

By Oregon Tax News, How Would the Expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts Affect Oregonians? The Bush tax cuts, set to expire at the end of the year, have many Americans worried about how it will affect their taxes. According to the Wall Street Journal, “If returning lawmakers don’t pass legislation by December 31, the…

$107M flap caused by one state’s highest paid By Oregon Tax News, State radio network is 22% over budget Plans to build a statewide emergency radio network are running late and $107 million over budget, according to internal state audits and reports. The documents indicate that mismanagement, missed deadlines and hidden costs have pushed up…

Oregon, Washington and Virginia Eye Liquor Reform By Oregon Tax News,  In November, Washington voters will have the opportunity to vote on two initiatives regarding the privatization of liquor stores and revising laws concerning regulation, taxation and government revenues from the distribution and sale of spirits.  If passed, Initiatives 1100 and 1105 will close state…

 Tax increases on oil companies, soda pop, income and parcels  failedin June. Oil tax loses in Congress At the federal level, Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent Senator from Vermont, led the unsuccessful Congressional effort to pass legislation to repeal oil tax breaks.  Senator Sanders argued that big oil companies make billions in profits and do…

Oregon Provides Compensation for Lost Wages By Oregon tax News, Oregon is one of a few states that dedicates funds, paid by Oregon employers, to cover unpaid wages when a company fails and does not have money for payroll. Last year, the average payout was about $1,048 per worker. The fund pays amounts equal to…

The IRS Takes the Thrill Out of Gambling By Oregon Tax News, Thanks to the IRS, successful gamblers may become losers. Those gamblers who win $600 from racetracks and state lotteries, $1,200 or more from slots or bingo, $1,500 from keno, or $5,000 from poker will receive a Form W-2G from the IRS to report…

Gun Industry Faces Decreased Growth By Oregon Tax News As industry revenue levels recede this year, potential for modest growth in gun and ammunition sales through 2015 may still exist. The National Rifle Association (NRA) held its annual meeting in May in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The general theme outlined the decline in gun sales despite…

By Oregon Tax News, This week Canon Beach City Hall will be voting on a 1% lodging tax. This tax hike on tourists is designed to attract new tourists. The logic behind raising taxes on people as a way to attract them seems contradictory. Here is an important question to ask. Why is there a…

FCC Proposes Internet Tax By Oregon Tax News, On tax day before the Senate Commerce Committee, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed the National Broadband Plan that would expand the Universal Service Fund (USF) tax on landline and cell phones to include broadband internet.  The FCC estimates the National Broadband Plan will cost $350 billion…

Several reports show continual problems with Oregon and Federal stimulus spending By Oregon Tax News, Oregon State officials boast more that the 2009 Legislature’s trumpeted economic stimulus package created or retained 7,500, a feat just shy of the 8,000-plus jobs reported for Oregon under the far bigger federal stimulus program. Yet, Oregon reports spending about…

Oregon #9 in Foreclosures but #37 in Home Insurance Costs By Oregon Tax News, Oregon ranked as one of the top 10 states with the highest foreclosure rate in the nation according to a recent survey.  Earlier this year, RealtyTrac, the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, released its January 2010 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report…

States Consider Holding Tax Returns to Save Money By Oregon Tax News USA Today reported that California, Hawaii, Alabama, North Carolina, Kansas, Idaho and New York are considering delaying issuing refunds because the states did not have the cash on hand to cover the costs.  The delays come as states continue to face deep budget…

 By Oregon Tax News, This month President Obama released a budget plan that emphasizes new spending freezes and fiscal accountability but comes with an extraordinary price tag.   Overall, the budget reveals federal spending will grow to $3.72 trillion dollars in the 2010 fiscal year and will increase to $3.83 trillion in 2011.  The Obama Administration…

Tax News: Tax Preparers, Tanning Beds, Pets January 15, 2010 By Oregon Tax News, New regulations, taxes, and fees and even some interesting new tax credits may be in store for this year.  Federal agencies and Congress will consider numerous policy proposals that will increase regulatory action, increase taxation, and even provide a tax breaks. …

By Oregon Tax News, Due to the ongoing economic crisis, Oregon’s Indian gaming industry suffered a 1.2 percent decline in revenue last year, placing the state No. 24 among the 31 Indian gaming states. According to economist Alan Meister and his recently released annual Indian Gaming Industry Report, no new tribes entered the gaming business…

Oregon TaxNews, Americans for Tax Reform did a calculation of what each state’s top income tax rate would be ifthe Bush 2001 tax cuts expire. The results are ranked from best to worst with nine states being tied ofr the first spot as these states have no income tax. Oregon was noted for being the…

By Oregon Tax News, On December 8th, U.S. Senator Tom Coburn and Senator John McCain released their Stimulus Checkup Report.  The report lists 100 projects as part of the $700 billion stimulus program targeted as waste.  Four Oregon projects made the list are listed below; Recovering Crab Pots Lost At Sea ($700,000) A $700,000 grant…

By Oregon Tax News, Holiday shoppers will get an early start this year whether they are ready or not.  Retail giants have embarked on an advertising spending spree in an attempt to lure bargain shoppers to their stores earlier this year, signaling the economy may be on the rebound. Target, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Gap all…

Taxpayers foot the bill for environmental lawsuits The federal government spends about the same amount of money funding environmental lawyers as it does to protect endangered species according to an investigation conducted by a Wyoming lawyer who defends farmers and ranchers involved in environmental lawsuits. According to the Capital Press, Karen Budd-Falen was curious how…

 Oregonians Face Scores of New Taxes By Oregon Tax News — Often overlooked, smaller tax increases will be facing thousands of Oregon homeowners, in addition to possible new taxes in Multnomah County, Hood River and Ashland.  Recent local proposals include an extension of the Ashland meals tax, along with increased driver registration fees and higher…

Oregon Faces Paycheck Decline By Oregon Tax News Oregon is near bottom in wage growth and it could get worse. According the United States Census Bureau, Oregon is currently ranked eighth in lowest pay check growth across the country. The rise of unemployment in Oregon gives employers the opportunity to take advantage of the abundance…

By Oregon Tax News, States across the nation are cutting taxes to boost stagnant economies.  Texas, Arizona, and Maine are all taking steps to lower taxes.  A recent study by former U.S. Treasury economist Robert Carroll shows that states with lower corporate tax rates have higher wage gains and more productivity over time.

Business bankruptcies climb, Oregon third on undesirable list By Oregon Tax News In statistics compiled by AACER (Automated Access to Court Electronic Records) Oregon ranked third in the nation in percentage increase for business bankruptcies between the first and second quarters of 2008.   Oregon had 214 business bankruptcies in the first quarter growing to…

Use The Health Care You Need, We Can Make More John in Oregon When we have a limited budget for medical care, who gets that care? For Statists only so much medical care exists in the world. Your gain is my loss.  Older people spend a lot more on doctors than younger people. Should the…

Oregon businesses that do not provide health insurance for its workers might face up to a 10-percent payroll tax increase.  Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is working on a bill to finance ObamaCare.  Under Speaker Pelosi’s plan, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, firms with employee payrolls above $250,000, and without a company health plan, would pay…

 Oregon Tax News,  In the waning days of the 2009 Oregon Legislative session the Legislature attempted to address the state’s increasing water demand by passing House Bill 3369, titled “The 2009 Water Investment Act.” The bill directs the Water Resources Department to develop a state-wide, integrated water resources strategy. The state-wide strategy is intended to…

Oregon Tax News 6/15/2009 Pacific Ethanol’s subsidiary that operates the 40 million gallon Boardman ethanol plant was one of five subsidiaries that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently.  Company officials indicated that the plant would continue to operate.  The Boardman plant is the only one of Pacific Ethanol’s four corn ethanol plants still operating. Both…

John in Oregon, Humorist P.J. O’Rourke’s latest effort in the Wall Street Journal satirizes that “The fate of Detroit isn’t a matter of economics. It’s a tragic romance, whose magic was killed by bureaucrats, bad taste and busybodies.” With a razor sharp keyboard O’Rourke drills down to the heart of the problem saying; “We became…

International Taxation: In an effort to pay for its increased spending the Obama Administration is going after corporate overseas earnings.  This could mean diminished competitiveness for U.S. companies operating overseas.  Companies like Intel and Nike would suffer under new rules proposed by the Administration.  “The bottom line is they have proposed a tax increase of…

 At a time when ticket sales and attendance at sporting venues across the country seem to be plunging, the city of Portland is relying on its own counter projections of increased attendance and ticket sales in order to finance its new baseball stadium.   As you may recall, the Portland City Council recently voted 3-2 to…

By Richard Leonetti, The planning and costs for the Portland-Vancouver seem to be way off the charts.   Why should it take so long and cost so much?   The latest version is to replace two bridges now in place of about 3,150 ft in length. The new one will include 3 lanes each way but have available six…

The Oregon Education Association letter to the editor (link) is another attack against the successful Oregon Connections Academy (ORCA) virtual charter school.   This campaign of misinformation will do serious harm to students and to one of Oregon’s successful schools.   The letter actually attempts to cast the public charter school in the same light as bailout money…

By Richard Leonetti, The stimulus package being discussed, now, I believe is too much. Spending beyond just the “safety net” (unemployment, health payments) is not going to be cost effective. Great politics but lousy economics. Tax rebates will be saved, not spent, just as they were with the earlier stimulus. No one will hire for…

By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon 12-15-08   Only 8 years after our last big financial boom ended in a bust we have an even bigger bust in the housing and debt markets that has brought us to the edge an entire collapse of the financial system. Millions have lost houses, jobs and Retirement savings and…

Oregon’s Big Land Use Swindle By Margaret Goodwin The Oregon Land Use Act required every city and county in Oregon to implement a Comprehensive Plan, and created a taxpayer-funded bureaucracy, the Land Conservation and Development Commission, to impose mandatory statewide standards with which all Comprehensive Plans must comply.  One of their goals was to prevent…

By Richard Leonetti, If you got the impression from headlines that spending by the State of Oregon had to fall by almost $1 billion in the next two years you would be wrong. What the revenue office really said was that revenue was expected to fall by $946 million from earlier projections but the new…

Global Economic Lessons for Oregon By Taxpayer Foundation of Oregon, 10/08   “In the decade before 2005, American consumers were the growth engine for the world economy, accounting for more than half of global consumer spending. The balance of power is now shifting.”  – Dave Have, Wall Street Journal Introduction The world is changing economically…

By Richard Leonetti, Secretary Bradbury wrote an op-ed piece saying we should not drill for oil. His arguments were riddled with contradictions and some speculation.  He asserts that expanded drilling will increase gasoline demand. Actually increased drilling has no affect on demand but will increase domestic supply or keep it from falling as it is…

Solar Power Leaks Tax Dollars Bob Clark August 15, 2008 Rooftop solar electric systems are prohibitively costly to manufacture and install with or without government subsidies.  As reported in the Oregonian, page E1, August 8, 2008, a 2000 watt solar system costs about $21,000 including installation.  Under existing tax credit financing structures, the buyer of…

By Margaret Goodwin, Some people invest their life savings in stocks and bonds, others sock it away in bank accounts to pay for their kids’ education and their retirement. Seventeen years ago, the Ockendens invested their savings in a 158 acre parcel of land in a rural residential area in Josephine County, where they live.…

by Andy High During the recent boom years in 2003-2005, sellers were calling the shots – dictating prices and terms to multiple bidders who were knocking down their doors in many markets. Today, with the real estate market slowing in many parts of the country, all the market fundamentals show that buyers are now in…

By Jim Thompson, Exec. Dir. Oregon State Pharmacy Association With another session of the Oregon Legislature complete, major emphasis was on healthcare where results showed the more effort government puts into healthcare reform the more the pattern stays the same. As we tilt at windmills in moving toward universal healthcare, one pattern stands out above…

by Andy High Many of you may not know but the Legislature gave school districts taxing authority without requiring a vote of the people. In 2007, the Legislature passed the SB 1036 which allows school districts to charge a construction excise tax. This allows school districts to charge up to $1.00 per sq foot on…

By Britt Storkson Governments today are finding it increasingly difficult to raise taxes without major public outcry and threats to their re-election. Not satisfied with cutting spending to stay within what they receive in taxes governments don’t just go away – they go somewhere else to separate taxpayers from their money. Often that somewhere else…

by Jason Williams Mel Zucker of the Oregon Transportation Institute never believed the hype about a public demand to build a light rail from Hillsboro to Forest Grove and people wanting a train from Beaverton to Wilsonville. Zucker called Tri-Met for the ridership data to see if the thriving metropolis of Forest Grove was truly…

By Larry Huss The Oregon Leadership Forum was held again at the beginning of December. It was the fourth, fifth, sixth time, I’ve lost track because they all look the same and they all follow a predictable agenda – one that is designed never to contradict the popular wisdom of Oregon’s entrenched Democrat governors. When…

By Greg Wasson It is common to lament the big, often out-of-state “abuse” of the initiative process by hearkening back to the days when Oregon initiatives were pure expressions of home-grown populist yearnings, uncontaminated by inter-state commerce. Problem is, those days existed only briefly, if ever. Less than a decade after the initiative’s creation, the…

by Kurt Weber A likely contract between Library Systems & Services, LLC and Jackson County, Oregon would reduce annual operating costs from $8.75 million to $4.3 million. The 15-branch Jackson County Library Systems has been closed since early April, due to the anticipated end of a federal timber payments program. The $4.3 million contract is…

Posted by: Gienie Assink After years of endless debate, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is revising existing plans to replace the land use allocations and management direction proposed under the Northwest Forest Plan in order to better meet the agency’s dual goals of providing a sustained flow of timber output and providing for habitat…

by Jason Williams The federal minimum wage just went up this month from $5.15 to $5.85. How many people were trapped under this low-wage system? Turns out that only .35% of the 140 million working Americans get paid the minimum wage. Seems like the private sector is doing just fine rising wages without government mandates.…

by Andy High With talk all through out Oregon about how to make home more affordable, governments continue to continue to bring up one bad idea after another but one of the worst is Inclusionary Zoning. Inclusionary Zoning requires the developers who want to develop their land to set aside a certain portion of it…

by Kurt Weber Oregon local government officials take note of Sandy Springs, Georgia. “Indeed, the experiment in Sandy Springs, Ga., has proved that local governments don’t need hundreds of public employees to function. Sandy Springs, a fast-growing town of more than 80,000 residents, has only four public employees who are not involved with public safety.…

by Margaret Goodwin Lately, a number of people have been arguing that the prospect of increased timber harvesting on the O&C lands is an attempt to return to an unstable timber economy, and that we should be focusing instead on developing other more stable industries to sustain our local economy. This isn’t an either/or situation.…

by Wayne Brady The Marion County Commissioners have been committed to dealing with an increasingly difficult situation with criminal aliens. Criminal aliens have been a significant direct cost to the County as well as incurring costs to the victims of their illegal behavior. One policy change the Commissioners wanted to implement immediately was to have…

By Larry Huss There are few opportunities in Oregon for a plebiscite by only those directly impacted by the decision.  But this December Oregon taxpayers are going to have just such an opportunity. In December the state is required to refund to Oregon taxpayers approximately $1.1 billion dollars in excess taxes collected in 2006.  Already,…

by Wayne Brady Government agencies have an uncanny ability to mess things up. In 2004, people from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office delivered confiscated illegal fireworks to the Marion County garbage-burning plant in Brooks. The Fire Marshall failed to let the people at the Brooks facility the explosive nature of the material they delivered.…

By Larry Huss There is a recession looming and Oregon is, once again, ill prepared to deal with it. No, I’m not an economist or a market analyst, or, for that matter, I didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn Express. But a friend of mine, Jim Stack, President of Investech and a nationally know…

By Jim Karlock We all know that Portland planners just hate sprawl. But just what is sprawl and what does it look like? An online search turned up several definitions of sprawl, all centered around the idea that if it is low density or you have to have a car, it is sprawl. Additional criteria…

by Richard Leonetti The Oregon Legislature has managed to thumb their noses at simple, obvious needs of the people. They are spending $254 million on a new light rail line to Milwaukie (which also needs $500 mil from the Feds–not us either?) and almost nothing on the roads most people use. Another $102 million of…

by Tim Lyman Every once in a while we are granted the opportunity to see just how big an mistake a bureaucrat can make. Unfortunately, these opportunities always come at the expense of citizens. Roy Elicker, director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, provides the latest example. Six years ago Franchesca Mantei and…

By Steve Schopp Nearly 8 years ago, the media reported “there is no more clear illustration of our ability to meet the needs of growth than our failure to address our transportation needs. Within the transportation arena we are facing utter chaos.” Since that time the taxpayers have spent around $10 billion in the state…

By Jason Coutts Oregon taxpayers are currently overpaying, to the tune of triple the cost, for police dogs. Further, the State uses, misuses, or bypasses the rules to shut-out local private canine small businesses. A citizen’s investigation into the matter reveals that the State gives false or misleading information in order to cover the misconduct.…

by Tim Lyman “Healthy Kids” is an incremental step towards socialized medicine and a future fiscal and healthcare disaster on many levels. Whatever model is adopted for “Healthy Kids” will be the model for complete socialized medicine in Oregon. The current argument among Republicans seems to be simply over how to pay for it (or…

by Jason Williams Well today is the day that postage rates increase by 2-cents. It came to no surprise that when I went to pick up the new postcard stamps last Friday that the new postcard stamps were not in. This is the same problem I encountered when they raised post rates last time. Their…

by Guest Opinion The Oregon Legislative Assembly is planning to convene a special session on February 4, 2008 for purposes of “testing” annual legislative sessions. Yet it is far from clear whether the Legislative Assembly has constitutional authority to convene a special session for this purpose. Article IV, Section 10 of the Oregon Constitution specifically…

by Jason Williams Gov. Kulongoski’s 20% budget increase is going to leave Oregon with a $1.3 billion dollar deficit according to preliminary budget analysis. That means the next legislature may have to pass $1.3 billion in new taxes to keep up. Contributing to the problem is the timing of when Kulongoski’s programs go into effect.…

By Dave Mowry “Oregon is taking cultural competency to a level never seen before.” Felice Goodenough (sp) from the NY Times on NPR, “Justice Talking Debates”. “What Oregon is doing in cultural competency is unique. Oregon is way ahead of  the curve.” Northwest Regional Education Research Laboratory. The Oregon Department of Education received a $600,000…

by Jay Bozievich As Lane County contemplates how to increase revenue to support public safety and Portland discusses how to fund education, it is time to discuss how to achieve fiscal sustainability for our public agencies here in Oregon. Missing from these discussions is the root cause of the current instability, the overheated growth in…

by Dave Mowry I read with a wry smile the article in The Oregonian lamenting that more people were not running for the Oregon Legislature. The Oregonian blames this on low pay and long hours and those certainly are factors. But I go farther. I blame The Oregonian itself for it’s mean spirited portrayal of…

by Jason Williams The Supreme Court victory has been a special moment for 93-year old widow and chief petitioner Dorothy English. She has fought with the county for 30 years to win back the property rights they stole from her when she bought it. Dorothy English bought her land 50 years ago with extra land…

by Britt Storkson Have you looked at your phone bill lately? Taxes on my phone service now are running at about 24%. After a multi-year battle with our local electric power utility to get illegally installed power lines on my property removed I did some checking into the power utility itself.  The power company Wasco…

Tuesday, January 10. 2006 by Wayne Brady Several months ago, I had an idea that I thought would make the Education Service Districts (ESDs) more efficient. Under current law, the ESDs receive a fixed percentage of the state school fund and the school districts receive the balance. The ESDs then provide services to the school…

Wednesday, January 4. 2006 In my last post I described how Oregon’s high minimum wage was causing high unemployment for teenagers and young adults. Now I want to talk about how Oregon’s other minimum wage law negatively impact Oregon. Specifically the Prevailing Wage Laws for public contracting known as the “Little Davis-Bacon Act“.These laws require…

By Jason Williams Thursday, December 29. 2005 The year began and ended with political incivility in Oregon by liberals. The political year started with President Bush’s inaugural speech where shouting protesters in the audience did everything possible to stop his speech. The protesters were from Eugene and were able to get great, up-close seat tickets…

By Dave Mowry Wednesday, December 28. 2005 When it comes to Cultural Competency, Hasso Herring, editor of the Albany Democrat Herald, said in a May editorial, “Mao had his cultural revolution and Vietnam sent people to re-education camps. Some education leaders in Oregon can’t duplicate those efforts, but they are doing what they can.” A…

By Jay Bozievich Wednesday, December 7. 2005 Sound the trumpets! Beat the drums! Oregon has a 6.0% unemployment rate! On November 14th, Governor Kulongoski made a personal appearance at the Oregon Employment Department to announce the news that Oregon unemployment rate was down to 4-year low of 6.0%. Kulongoski crowed to all those gathered, “You…

By Wayne Brady, Monday, December 5. 2005 Recently, we have seen some horrible examples of poor management in Oregon state government reported in the press. I suspect these examples are only a small sample of what is going on behind the scenes. I think this is true because the people responsible for the errors have…

By Jay Bozievich Guest editorial, As Lane County contemplates how to increase revenue to support public safety, it is time to discuss how to achieve fiscal sustainability for our public agencies here in Oregon. Missing from these discussions is the root cause of the current instability, the overheated growth in the cost of labor to…

Oregon needs a flat tax, not sales tax By Jason Williams Also featured in Brainstorm Magazine May 2005 The tax reform Oregon needs is to flatten our income tax into a flat tax.  Reduce, simplify and streamline is the answer to our state’s tax woes.  An ideal state flat tax would tax all income levels…

Why the liberation was a necessary foreign policy expenditure and an effective federal campaign against terrorism. http://www.oregontaxnews.com/Iraq-report.pdf

By Steve Schopp In a newspaper story last year about Portland’s effort to lure major league baseball, there was some interesting points to be found about those cities trying to lure the Expos baseball team. Different positives and negatives were featured in writing about these cities. The city, Charlotte North Carolina, had a negative check…

By Jay Bozievich From the presidential race down to the Oregon ballot measures, many choices in this election boil down to trust: Do you trust people to use their own free will? How you answer that question will determine how you vote. President Bush’s proposals on reforms to rescue Social Security from bankruptcy hinge on…

By Hon. Thomas Wilde, Our legislature was established for one primary purpose, to establish a balanced budget. All else is superfluous, from a constitutional perspective. However, in that exclusive club better known as the legislature, there is a “team” mentality. Many a fine legislator is pulled into the mistaken belief that those on the “team”…

By Rob Kremer, Oregon Education Coalition The Dramatic Drop in Scores from Last Year Illustrates Flaws in Oregon’s Assessment System Nearly eight out of ten sophomores at Oregon high schools failed to meet the state standard in this winter’s tenth grade math problem-solving assessment. “This further illustrates the serious validity and reliability problems that plague…

By Rep. Ron Maurer The hysteria whipped up by liberal “universalist” politicos is utterly amazing. It underlies the reality that they cannot, they do not, and they will not debate healthcare reform on the merits of the arguments. A first-order assumption in their argument is that universal healthcare is the desired goal. This premise belies…

By Larry Huss Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced his version of universal healthcare.  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has introduced her modified version of universal healthcare backing up, at least initially, from her widely repudiated version proposed during the Clinton years.  Both suffer from two significant defects – first, they put the government in…