There’s no question that 2025 will be remembered as the year Congress dismantled vital public institutions, forcing hardworking people to pay for tax cuts for the rich. In early July, with little deliberation, the Republican majority in Congress passed a massive and hugely destructive piece of legislation, H.R. 1. The harm from this bill is already playing out in Oregon and across the nation, and will continue over many years.  

Through it all, the Oregon Center for Public Policy has guided audiences with clear explanations as to what this monstrous budget bill — as well as other important policy developments — mean for Oregon families. As we say goodbye to 2025, we take a moment to share our most popular publications of the year.

5. A better way of doing taxes is finally here with Direct File

The year started on a high note, with the launch of IRS Direct File in Oregon. The arrival of IRS Direct File to our state finally allowed many Oregonians to file their federal taxes directly with the IRS, easily and at no cost. With the introduction of this service, eligible Oregonians were able to avoid having to pay a corporate middleman just to pay their taxes. It was the promise of an approach that could, eventually, make free and simple tax filing a reality for everyone.

This story, however, has an unhappy intermission. Catering to the wishes of big corporations that profit from the status quo, the Trump administration pulled the plug on IRS Direct File this November. Yet, future administrations could quickly re-launch the service with the structure already built and proven to be effective.

4. Podcast: “This is a terrible bill”: Rep. Salinas discusses House tax and budget package

Following the vote by the U.S. House of Representatives on the monstrous H.R. 1, one of the members of Congress who voted “no” on the package joined us on our syndicated radio show and podcast, Policy for the People, to discuss the deep flaws in the legislation. As Representative Andrea Salinas of Oregon’s 6th Congressional District summed it up, “This is a terrible bill.” 

3. Immigrants bolster the economy; deportations weaken it

Certainly, 2025 will also be remembered for the cruel, inhumane policy of mass deportations carried out by the Trump Administration. While the most devastating aspect of deportations is how they tear apart and instill fear in families and communities, they also have deep economic impacts. As our well-received commentary explained, deportations weaken one of the engines that powers the economy, while making all workers more vulnerable to exploitation.

2. Podcast: How big corporations hide their profits — and how to stop it

You may have heard that big corporations use offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes, but what does that actually look like? We explained how by telling the story of one tax avoidance scheme used by Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee retailer. The tax shenanigans of Starbucks are especially relevant to Oregon, where the company has more stores per capita than in any other state. Our show also discussed a key part of the solution for ending corporate tax avoidance: requiring big corporations to make public their profits and taxes in Oregon.

1. 6 ways Oregon is replicating the ugly congressional Republican budget bill — and what to do about it

Our most popular publication of the year took a deeper look into some of the worst tax provisions in H.R. 1 — “worst” meaning from the perspective of Oregon’s finances. Over the course of the year, we’ve banged the drum over the fact that Oregon’s tax code is connected to the federal tax code. Many of the wasteful and inequitable tax breaks contained in H.R. 1 were going to automatically become part of the Oregon tax code if state lawmakers failed to “disconnect” from those provisions. They haven’t done so (yet), so those tax breaks heavily favoring the rich and corporations are draining money from Oregon’s coffers — resources that would otherwise be going to schools, child care, rent assistance, and other services Oregonians count on.

The keen interest in this wonky tax issue is encouraging, because it demonstrates that many Oregonians do not want our state to replicate the wasteful and inequitable tax policies contained in H.R. 1.

You can be sure that when the new year rolls in, OCPP and our many state partners will be demanding that the Oregon legislature protect Oregonians by disconnecting from this monstrous bill.