Income inequality in Oregon has reached yet another record high. In 2017, the year with the most recently available data, the average income of the richest 0.1 percent — the top one-tenth of 1 percent — rose to nearly $4.9 million, the highest ever.
[This commentary was first published in The Statesman Journal.] In the most recent tally, more than 1,000 students in Salem-Keizer Public Schools were homeless — an indication of the devastating toll
Tax policy has aided and abetted the rise of massive economic inequality in the U.S., a point highlighted in a recent article in the New York Times. The paper reported that last year the nation’s 400 wealthiest people paid a lower tax rate (federal, state and local tax rates combined) than any other income group — a drastic reversal of the situation several decades ago.
Establishing a rent assistance program would be an effective strategy for addressing Oregon’s housing affordability crisis.
Oregon’s statewide housing crisis demands a powerful, rapid response. A rent assistance program is a quick and proven way to stabilize families straining under the weight of housing costs.
At a time when there is a dire need for federal leadership in confronting a national housing crisis, the Trump administration is heading down a path that will likely exacerbate the
At a time when there is a dire need for federal leadership in confronting a national housing crisis, the Trump administration is heading down a path that will likely exacerbate the problem for many low-income Oregonians. Recently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed changing the rules governing who qualifies for federal rent assistance.
By all accounts, the 2019 Oregon legislative session was historic. Even before the second walkout by Senate Republicans ground deliberations to a halt, the legislature had already enacted the largest investment
Tax breaks can be well targeted or poorly targeted. Unfortunately, many tax breaks for seniors fall into the latter category, as a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explains.
Ten years ago, Oregon lawmakers were scrambling to fill a massive budget shortfall. The Great Recession had choked our economy, and Oregon’s revenue collections had slowed to a trickle. Teacher layoffs loomed. So too did cuts to services for seniors, foster children, and services that benefit all Oregonians.
© Oregon Center for Public Policy 2023
