At our core, we are a project that seeks to translate knowledge into action.

We believe Oregon has two fundamental issues we need to overcome – our economy is not producing enough jobs or high enough incomes for Oregon families.

Our unemployment rate is consistently higher than the federal rate and our income levels are nearly 10 percent below the national average.

We aspire to draw attention to and advocate policies that create 20,000 new jobs per year and lift Oregon incomes higher than the national average.

And then we ask you to vote.  

We don’t tell you how to vote, but we certainly arm you with information that can help you reach your own voting decisions and set Oregon on a better path.

You can learn about the issues that matter for job creation here.

You can find out more about your area lawmakers here.

You can find the Prosperity Voting Records for lawmakers here.

Finally, and most importantly, you can register to vote here.

April 24th is your last day to register to vote for the May elections!

On May 15th – Election Day – your ballot must turned in.  A postmark will not suffice.  Ballots must be in the possession of your county clerk by 8pm.

Again, if you haven’t already, please register to vote here.

A Key Oregon Advantage Takes a Hit
Court ruling undermines a classic Oregon success story

Oregon’s workers’ compensation system is a national model.  

It’s a hallmark Oregon success story that has proven to be one of our state’s great competitive advantages leading to business investment and job creation.

Every employer is legally required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage to pay for medical care and lost wages in the event an employee is injured on the job.

As of today, 1.62 million Oregonians are covered by their employer.

Since 1990, Oregon has gone from the 8th most expensive state in the US to the 10th most affordable. Premium costs to Oregon employers have dropped by 60% in that same time, saving Oregon employers more than $18 billion.

What was once a major drag on our state’s economy has now become one of our biggest competitive assets.  

But this isn’t to say that workers’ compensation coverage isn’t costly. It’s a significant hidden cost that most of us don’t see. Oregon businesses will pay about $800 million this year.

In return for requiring employers to purchase this coverage, Oregon law shields employers from lawsuits stemming from workplace injuries.

But a recent court opinion threatens to unravel the core of this success.

A Visible Watershed Moment for Oregon Jobs

Every once in a while, our state experiences a very visible watershed moment when we decide whether we are serious about being a state that is hospitable for investment and job growth.

The messages and outcomes stemming from these moments reverberate throughout the country. 

Companies, business owners and job creators all across our country form their opinions about Oregon in instances like these.  They define whether our state is perceived as welcoming for new business and investment, or whether we allow outsiders and interest groups to drive away investment in our people and our state.

We appear to be experiencing one of those moments now in the small town of Cascade Locks.

This needs to be a victory for economic self-determination, economic growth and job creation.

This week, we’ll let Representative Mark Johnson, who represents Cascade Locks in the Oregon Legislature, tell the story.

These moments matter for the perception of our state and the growth of our economy and jobs.  Today, the event is in Cascade Locks.  Tomorrow, it could be in your community. 

We hope you’ll take the time to write a quick note of support to Rep Johnson here.  We also hope you’ll express your support for Cascade Locks to Governor Kitzhaber here.

 

Are Oregon’s Business Taxes Competitive?
High unemployment taxes dampen Oregon’s competiveness and could hurt job growth

For months, we’ve been thinking of doing a piece on taxes that are paid by Oregon business. We’ve been especially interested in this topic since there seems to be a sentiment in Oregon that business doesn’t pay its “fair share” of taxes. 

Proponents of Measure 67, the ballot measure that increased taxes on Oregon companies in 2010, certainly used this argument to great effect.
 
Business taxes are an important factor in business location because they are a significant cost of doing business.  As a result, decisions on where to locate or grow a business, and all the jobs that come with it, are influenced by assessments of relative tax burdens across multiple states.

If we lived in a vacuum, then taxes wouldn’t matter.  But we don’t.  Here in Oregon, we are competing against 49 other states that want business and job creation as much as we do.

We were spurred to action this week by the recently-released groundbreaking report by The Tax Foundation, called “Location Matters,” which illustrates clearly that, on average, Oregon companies pay more in taxes than their counterparts in other states.

In fact, Oregon’s total business tax burdens make Oregon uncompetitive as a place to locate and grow business and high-wage jobs for certain industries.

Here’s how Oregon’s business tax competitiveness ranks in key industries…