Update: April 21, 2011

Corporate Study Says Oregon Has Second Lowest Tax Rate on New Investments

A newly released corporate-funded study concluded that Oregon had the nation's second-lowest "effective business tax rate" for new investments among all states and the District of Columbia. Only Maine had a more "competitive" tax structure than Oregon.

This study is further proof that it would be a serious mistake for Oregon lawmakers to reduce business tax rates or grant yet more corporate tax subsidies. Oregon business taxes are already low, and the loss of revenue would only harm Oregonians and the state's business climate.

Read the news release Corporate Study Says Oregon Has Second Lowest Tax Rate on New Investments: Fiscal policy group calls on legislature to stop "corporate tax subsidies." Click here for a PDF copy.

Intel's Message on Higher Education Does Not Compute

On the heels of a weekend news report that Intel is taxing Hillsboro and Beaverton schools with the influx of about 400 Israeli children because of an Intel four-month training program for their parents, Intel executives showed up at a business association meeting on Tuesday to complain about the inability of Oregon's Higher-Education system to produce enough skilled engineers.

Add to that Intel's refusal to pay its fair share of Oregon's income taxes and what you get is a message that doesn't compute.

Read OCPP's blog post Intel's Message on Higher Education Does Not Compute.

Watch Panel Discussion on Oregon Tax Expenditures

Earlier this month, the League of Women Voters of Portland held a panel discussion titled "Reviewing Oregon's Tax Expenditures. What Are They: Lost Revenue or Economic Incentives?" OCPP executive director Chuck Sheketoff was one the panelists.

See the video of the panel discussion.