Our top 5 publications of 2020
Such a hard year. Such a momentous year. 2020 may go down as a turning point in history. A worldwide pandemic, a devastating recession, the explosion of a movement for
December 30, 2020
Juan Carlos Ordóñez
Juan Carlos is the Oregon Center for Public Policy's Communications Director
4 reasons why you should disregard the latest tax report from the Oregon big business lobby
So massive are the property tax breaks that Intel enjoys in Oregon that no school district in the nation lost more money to tax abatements than the Hillsboro school district, The Oregonian reported a couple of years back.
December 16, 2020
Latest economic forecast confirms need for more federal relief
A key takeaway from the latest Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast, presented to Oregon lawmakers yesterday, is this: Additional federal aid is crucial to avoid a deeper, longer recession.
September 24, 2020
Lawmakers break promise to students rather than block tax cuts for the rich
“Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, your Oregon Promise Grant has been revoked.”
That’s the notice sent to about 1,000 Oregon students recently, following the Oregon legislature’s decision to cut $3.6 million in tuition assistance for students planning to attend community college. Now, with classes set to start, these students must scramble to figure how to pay for college.
September 1, 2020
Millionaires don’t need more tax breaks. Will the Oregon legislature give them more next week?
There is no good time for a new tax break for millionaires, but especially not during the worst economic crisis in nine decades, a time when so many Oregonians hang by a thread. And yet Oregon’s rich — a predominantly white club — are on course to cash in new tax breaks, unless the Oregon legislature blocks them.
August 5, 2020
Hardship stalks the nation. Will Congress do what needs to be done?
The number of children seeking food at the Kids Korner, a food pantry in Bend, has nearly doubled this this year compared to the same period last year, The Bend Bulletin recently reported. Triggered by the coronavirus crisis, the sharp rise in food insecurity in Central Oregon mirrors the struggles of families all across the nation — a situation that demands renewed, robust congressional action.
July 28, 2020
Balance the budget by cutting tax breaks for the rich
Already suffering from the ills brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Oregonians could soon endure rounds of teacher layoffs, diminished resources to fight wildfires, and fewer resources to protect foster children and vulnerable seniors. There is a serious risk of these and other harms coming to pass, as the state grapples with deep revenue shortfalls caused by the coronavirus economic crisis. In the blink of an eye, $1.9 billion vanished from the state budget (the Oregon General Fund). Even bigger revenue shortfalls are projected for the next two budget periods.
June 15, 2020
Winners and Losers from the Premature Death of House Bill 4010
Until recently, it looked as though a tax subsidy for wealthy investors would finally have its day of reckoning. Oregon House Bill 4010 sought to pare back and make more transparent the so-called “Opportunity Zones” tax break.
March 11, 2020
If you care about gender justice, you need to care about the tax code
The first television sitcom, Jackson and Jill, aired in 1949. It featured a family structure reprised in many TV shows to follow: a working husband and a stay-at-home wife .
March 3, 2020
How a Facebook billionaire’s bill became Oregon tax law
Fans of the classic kids’ television show Schoolhouse Rock will remember How a Bill Becomes Law, the animated music video explaining the legislative process.
February 19, 2020