Oregon tax collections continue to surge, with Oregonians paying $1.2 billion more in income taxes this spring than last year. The increasing state revenues aren’t due to higher taxes. Instead, according to Oregon’s quarterly economic forecast, many people cashed in assets in late 2021, causing a short-term income boost. Most of[Read More…]
Government
Key 2022 primary election results for governor and for BOLI commissioner
This story originally appeared in the Oregon Capital Chronicle and is republished here under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Read more stories at oregoncapitalchronicle.com.
Vote by 8 p.m. today in Oregon’s Primary Election
Have you voted? There are races and measures to vote for on the ballot, even for those not registered with one of Oregon’s political parties. Ranging from decisions on who will chair the Washington County board of commissioners to who will head the state’s Bureau of Labor and Industries, registered[Read More…]
Oregon Gov. Brown, fire officials warn of challenging 2022 wildfire season
A rainy late spring is delaying the start of fire season in Oregon, but state officials said Monday they still anticipate a challenging summer and fall. Large fires are already blazing in New Mexico, and fire risk in the Northwest is expected to worsen as summer continues. During a press[Read More…]
Oregon Appeals Court reverses $1.1 billion verdict over state forest management
The Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday reversed a $1.1 billion verdict against the state for how it manages forests, ruling that the state wasn’t obligated to maximize logging and profits.
Oregon Elections Division botches voters’ pamphlet for four Washington County house districts
Washington County voters are once again facing shoddy work in official elections materials. This time, it’s not the fault of the Washington County Elections Division, but the Oregon Elections Division at the Oregon Secretary of State offices.
Map shows 52 acre Metro expansion at Killin Wetlands
Following a story published March 21 about Metro’s Killin Wetlands property expanding by 52 acres, several readers reached out and asked for a map showing the new acreage. At this newspaper’s request, Metro created a map showing the expanded area recently purchased by the regional government. Located to the south[Read More…]
Oregon to join most states in compensating the wrongfully convicted
Wrongfully convicted Oregonians will now be eligible for financial compensation for time of false imprisonment. On March 24, Gov. Kate Brown signed the Oregon Justice for Exonerees Act, which allows compensation for wrongful convictions. Victims will be able to receive money, housing assistance, counseling, a sealing of their records and[Read More…]
Merkley to hold digital, phone town hall Wednesday for Washington Co. residents
Washington County residents will have the opportunity to hear from and provide input to Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley at a Washington County-specific digital town hall scheduled for Wednesday, April 6 starting at 4:30 p.m. “Hearing from Oregonians across the state is critical to doing my job. In these uncertain times,[Read More…]
Metro adds 52 acres to Killin Wetlands area between Banks and Gales Creek
The Metro-owned property between Banks and Gales Creek betwixt Highway 6 and Cedar Canyon Road grew by 52 acres, Metro said in a press release, adding to the natural area connected to a public park opened there in 2018. More than one square mile—or 640 acres—of peat soil wetlands is[Read More…]