What a long, strange trip it has been. Last year was unlike any other in my 53 years on this pale blue dot. It was a year filled with uncertainty, angst, fear, and a daily dose of deep outrage. 

I don’t anticipate 2026 being much different in terms of the severity of the challenges. What will be different is our collective response to the challenges that this despotic federal administration poses to our values, our way of life, and our democracy. 

For me, 2026 begins with a commitment to respond with equanimity, creativity, and resolve because I believe this is the path that will lead to a systemic renewal anchored in equity, fairness and shared prosperity. I’m grateful to lead the Oregon Center for Public Policy in these difficult times because our mission is more critical than ever.  The Center provides data, ideas, and public policy models that bring security to economically vulnerable Oregonians. Ultimately, policy change grounded in reality is essential for creating an economy where all Oregonians are economically secure and have a real opportunity to thrive.

The task before us, I admit, feels sisyphean. There is no shortage of issues that impact a family’s economic security – too many for a small organization like OCPP to tackle them all. So we focus on the foundation for an economy that truly works for everyone. Policies that put money in the pockets of families, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Oregon Kids’ Credit, increase stability and economic security. So too do policies that ensure workers are paid good wages and enjoy safe working conditions. The Center ties this together with progressive tax policies that ultimately can support what families and communities need: strong schools, modern and reliable infrastructure, accessible human services and a government that puts people first.  

Our focus has proven effective over the last 25-plus years and we will continue to devote ourselves to these foundational blocks. But the world has changed, and the United States has changed. The scope and demands for our expertise continue to evolve in light of the magnitude and range of challenges we face as a state. 

This is why growth is a key goal for OCPP in 2026. Having more staff and resources allow us to tackle urgent policy questions, like how to fund food assistance and health coverage for those who can’t afford it, or to bring a people-centered perspective to debates around economic development.

In these trying times, I’ll confess that I’ve been finding refuge in football (despite my Steelers not winning a playoff game in seven tries), so forgive me for leaning into a sports metaphor. For our nation, a decisive game started a year ago, on January 20, 2025. We just completed the first quarter, when we were mostly on our heels. We have to regain our balance and go on the offense. We have to be ready to call an audible with new policy ideas that renew our state’s commitment to shared prosperity and giving every Oregonian an opportunity for a good life.

With a stronger OCPP on the field, Oregon can respond with creativity and resolve—every day and in the clutch.