It’s hard to find reasons for optimism in Oregon’s economic numbers, but for voters the key factors will be their personal circumstances and how much they value economic stability
The public employees union remains strong and militant and their members vote. Until that changes, everyone else is outnumbered. Not even sure whose votes are being counted after the last election. I suspect mine are being lost.
I would say “no” to your question. The politics in Portland decide most elections above the county level. Except for the one Congressional District that encompasses all of the eastern and southern parts of the state. I don’t know a single person here who prioritizes practical matters that affect normal citizens in their daily lives. This is evident from the fact that the people themselves continue to participate in raising our taxes, voting “yes” on every do-gooder referendum they see.
Yes the economics of Oregon is less than its potential. However, will progressives drop their virtue signalling over all the existential issues (homelessness, gender expression, crime, climate change etc.) and actually vote to consider the future of the state's finances? That is the real existential question and I have many doubts over the November election. Recently our water bill contained a 99 cent tax (customer may opt out) to fund net zero in our community by 2050 -- imagine a small community spending money to achieve net zero emissions when their real estate is a speck on the mass of North America and subject to thousands of climate variables...
If the official unemployment rate is 5%, then the real unemployment rate is closer to 10%, in my experience. Oregon does so many things to discourage investment and influx of new blood. For instance, they attack the hell out of my retirement, whereas Nevada does not tax your retirement. Housing is crazy expensive so of course, all my kids have moved away. There were no decent paying jobs, and no, minimum wage is not a living wage. But mostly, the big problem is taxes constantly going up. Our property taxes has doubled in the decade that we have been here. Had to show how out of touch Oregon government truly is, they are trying to be sneaky and get a new gas tax. And don’t get me going about all the taxes that are called fees, in order to disguise how much money they’re taking out of our pockets. As soon as my wife dies, I’m leaving and moving to Florida.
Re. the state of the economy, had coffee recently Wirth a guy who owns a construction company. He noted that commercial construction in Portland area has cratered, as have values of commercial buildings (Ex - Big Pink). That's translating into lower property valuations and lower city revenue; that's hampering the city's ability to deal with its self-created problems. What a tangled mess.
Yes. As I mentioned in the column, commercial real estate is the economic sector with the longest road to recovery. (It could be decades.) Commercial real estate values don't have much direct impact on most individuals, but they definitely have an impact on local government revenues, as you note.
The economy is so bad that a supposedly "needed" essential services, like Electricians, have almost no work. It is not because of a seasonal fluctuation either. Last year my Electrician husband, who works for a large local company, made 40% less in wages. Not fun; but we live frugally, so we navigated. Now employees are lucky to get a day or 2 of work in a week. So many families I personally know are on the brink of losing it all! Oregon is quietly imploding!!!
It is. I breaks my heart. And I thought electricians would be above the line of struggling to earn a living. Plumbers and electricians.
But then again, I know I need an electrician. But I can't afford it right now. So there's that. I'm probably not the only one.
The cost of living in Oregon (and Portland even more so) is affected a lot by the taxes. The CAT tax and the gas taxes and the new employment taxes - squeeze businesses. So businesses close, sell, leave or don't give raises. Not getting a raise when the inflation rate was, what 10% the last two years of Biden - that is actually a huge pay cut.
But the unions and government employees all got the big raises, which further increases costs.
Everything you said is absolute truth! My husband talks with customers every day...and it seems pretty universal. People across the entire economic spectrum are cutting back and often unable to consider projects my husband would be involved in. The economy is by far worse than I have seen it since 2007- 2008. Lost a house & a business then. Praying for better days soon!
Once again, Instagram Tina is talking out of both sides of her mouth and refusing to take a stand, deferring to yet another "workgroup" she's created to distract voters and let her machinations screw Oregon's voter/taxpayers. It's all laid out in this story from yesterday's Oregonian.
So yes, this Dem is ready to jump the fence if a reasonable alternative comes along.
Gov. Tina Kotek said Tuesday that data centers’ impact on Oregon is “not sustainable” at the current growth rate, citing the industry’s consumption of water, energy and community resources.
The governor said she continues to favor expanding a program of tax breaks used primarily by data centers but said she plans to revisit incentives next year after a workgroup she appointed has studied the industry.
“We as a state need to have a statewide conversation about that,” the governor told reporters. “I’m not ready at this point to say what that should look like.”
/ / /
Property tax breaks are similarly valuable, saving Oregon data center operators more than $450 million in the current tax year through three separate incentive programs. That’s $126 million more than in 2025. [1]
And a bill Kotek is pushing will extend one set of tax breaks from 5 years to 10. Why? That's one "conversation" that pathetic schemer doesn't want us to have.
Oregon Democrat Party, the one that accepts and then hides $500,000 donations introduced by Senator Ron Wyden from imprisoned crypto-titans in the last gubernatorial election, that ODP.
It's all trump's fault we are one of the bottom states in every conceivable criterion? I don't think so. Especially when I hear even Mississippi has improved its education system significantly. I would suggest we take a serious look at the majority of our public employees. It wasn't like this when I worked for a public entity, but that was a quarter of a century ago. We cared back then.
No. I am saying the public perceives it as being Trump’s fault. We are a mess because Oregon govt is deliberately pursuing de-industrialization/degrowth policies per UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Democrat Party is the party of the Rockefellers, aka the family that established the climate change hoax, and created the Club of Rome, which aims to de-industrialize the West, and works with the UN and other globalist institutions to get de-growth policies implemented at the local level. The Green New Deal is a fancy name for UN Sustainable Development Goals/Agenda 2030/Great Reset. That’s why our energy policies are so awful, and they attack on farmers is intensifying, and why we had lockdowns and mandates, etc. Rosa Koire has some great youtube videos about Agenda 2030 (originally Agenda 21). She wrote a book called Behind the Green Mask that details the way land use laws will be used to strip of us of private property. This is why Val Hoyle is working Oregon’s Fire Marshal to create a Wildfire Risk map—it will allow the state to determine land “risky” and thus prevent owners from insuring, or even owning the land.
Please watch a Rosa Koire video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ykELwj1Ta8 She lays it all out. Bush Sr. signed it, the Pelosi introduced it into Congress and Clinton signed it into law. Then, Obama signed the updated version, Agenda 2030. Every single person needs to keep an eagle eye on their city’s Climate Action Plan, redevelopment plans, housing plans and land use policy. It is terrifying, and happening at break neck speed.
It would be interesting if the democrats could actually come up with a different playbook than accusations and hearings. The party that does nothing but tax and spend...I think Oregon's economic future is bleak unless there are serious changes to taxes and the current direction of the state's leadership. Unfortunately I think the sheep will continue to be sheep.
“By just about any measure, Oregon is nearing the pain threshold for anyone who isn’t a public employee.”
Sum and substance right there.
The public employees union remains strong and militant and their members vote. Until that changes, everyone else is outnumbered. Not even sure whose votes are being counted after the last election. I suspect mine are being lost.
I would say “no” to your question. The politics in Portland decide most elections above the county level. Except for the one Congressional District that encompasses all of the eastern and southern parts of the state. I don’t know a single person here who prioritizes practical matters that affect normal citizens in their daily lives. This is evident from the fact that the people themselves continue to participate in raising our taxes, voting “yes” on every do-gooder referendum they see.
Yes the economics of Oregon is less than its potential. However, will progressives drop their virtue signalling over all the existential issues (homelessness, gender expression, crime, climate change etc.) and actually vote to consider the future of the state's finances? That is the real existential question and I have many doubts over the November election. Recently our water bill contained a 99 cent tax (customer may opt out) to fund net zero in our community by 2050 -- imagine a small community spending money to achieve net zero emissions when their real estate is a speck on the mass of North America and subject to thousands of climate variables...
And net zero from one small community means nothing, when 70% of the pollution comes from one country, the People’s Republic of China.
If the official unemployment rate is 5%, then the real unemployment rate is closer to 10%, in my experience. Oregon does so many things to discourage investment and influx of new blood. For instance, they attack the hell out of my retirement, whereas Nevada does not tax your retirement. Housing is crazy expensive so of course, all my kids have moved away. There were no decent paying jobs, and no, minimum wage is not a living wage. But mostly, the big problem is taxes constantly going up. Our property taxes has doubled in the decade that we have been here. Had to show how out of touch Oregon government truly is, they are trying to be sneaky and get a new gas tax. And don’t get me going about all the taxes that are called fees, in order to disguise how much money they’re taking out of our pockets. As soon as my wife dies, I’m leaving and moving to Florida.
Re. the state of the economy, had coffee recently Wirth a guy who owns a construction company. He noted that commercial construction in Portland area has cratered, as have values of commercial buildings (Ex - Big Pink). That's translating into lower property valuations and lower city revenue; that's hampering the city's ability to deal with its self-created problems. What a tangled mess.
Yes. As I mentioned in the column, commercial real estate is the economic sector with the longest road to recovery. (It could be decades.) Commercial real estate values don't have much direct impact on most individuals, but they definitely have an impact on local government revenues, as you note.
“How bad is Oregon’s economy?”
As bad as it’s ever been and getting worse.
What are we going to do about it…
Oregon is above the national average in unemployment
The economy is so bad that a supposedly "needed" essential services, like Electricians, have almost no work. It is not because of a seasonal fluctuation either. Last year my Electrician husband, who works for a large local company, made 40% less in wages. Not fun; but we live frugally, so we navigated. Now employees are lucky to get a day or 2 of work in a week. So many families I personally know are on the brink of losing it all! Oregon is quietly imploding!!!
That is terrible!
I agree! Its so hard watching so many talented, hard working men struggle to provide for their families. Tough Days!
It is. I breaks my heart. And I thought electricians would be above the line of struggling to earn a living. Plumbers and electricians.
But then again, I know I need an electrician. But I can't afford it right now. So there's that. I'm probably not the only one.
The cost of living in Oregon (and Portland even more so) is affected a lot by the taxes. The CAT tax and the gas taxes and the new employment taxes - squeeze businesses. So businesses close, sell, leave or don't give raises. Not getting a raise when the inflation rate was, what 10% the last two years of Biden - that is actually a huge pay cut.
But the unions and government employees all got the big raises, which further increases costs.
Everything you said is absolute truth! My husband talks with customers every day...and it seems pretty universal. People across the entire economic spectrum are cutting back and often unable to consider projects my husband would be involved in. The economy is by far worse than I have seen it since 2007- 2008. Lost a house & a business then. Praying for better days soon!
Once again, Instagram Tina is talking out of both sides of her mouth and refusing to take a stand, deferring to yet another "workgroup" she's created to distract voters and let her machinations screw Oregon's voter/taxpayers. It's all laid out in this story from yesterday's Oregonian.
So yes, this Dem is ready to jump the fence if a reasonable alternative comes along.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gov. Tina Kotek said Tuesday that data centers’ impact on Oregon is “not sustainable” at the current growth rate, citing the industry’s consumption of water, energy and community resources.
The governor said she continues to favor expanding a program of tax breaks used primarily by data centers but said she plans to revisit incentives next year after a workgroup she appointed has studied the industry.
“We as a state need to have a statewide conversation about that,” the governor told reporters. “I’m not ready at this point to say what that should look like.”
/ / /
Property tax breaks are similarly valuable, saving Oregon data center operators more than $450 million in the current tax year through three separate incentive programs. That’s $126 million more than in 2025. [1]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And a bill Kotek is pushing will extend one set of tax breaks from 5 years to 10. Why? That's one "conversation" that pathetic schemer doesn't want us to have.
[1] Mike Rogoway. "Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek: Pace of data center growth ‘is not sustainable' " 24 February 2026. https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/02/gov-tina-kotek-pace-of-oregon-data-center-growth-is-not-sustainable.html
From my experience living in Portland the winners of the next election will all have a (D) after their name, thus things will only get worse.
DON'T give up, that's what the Kotek is hoping for.
The marxist (ODP) beatings will continue until morale improves. The economy is downstream of the ODP.
ODP?
Old Democrat Party?
Oregon Democrat Party, the one that accepts and then hides $500,000 donations introduced by Senator Ron Wyden from imprisoned crypto-titans in the last gubernatorial election, that ODP.
I think that's all Democrats, but they the kings of Oregon.
it will be interesting to see what the November elections produce, hope or continued despair.
I will bet on continued dispair.
Not with mail in voting
No, because everyone blames the economy on Trump.
It's all trump's fault we are one of the bottom states in every conceivable criterion? I don't think so. Especially when I hear even Mississippi has improved its education system significantly. I would suggest we take a serious look at the majority of our public employees. It wasn't like this when I worked for a public entity, but that was a quarter of a century ago. We cared back then.
No. I am saying the public perceives it as being Trump’s fault. We are a mess because Oregon govt is deliberately pursuing de-industrialization/degrowth policies per UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Democrat Party is the party of the Rockefellers, aka the family that established the climate change hoax, and created the Club of Rome, which aims to de-industrialize the West, and works with the UN and other globalist institutions to get de-growth policies implemented at the local level. The Green New Deal is a fancy name for UN Sustainable Development Goals/Agenda 2030/Great Reset. That’s why our energy policies are so awful, and they attack on farmers is intensifying, and why we had lockdowns and mandates, etc. Rosa Koire has some great youtube videos about Agenda 2030 (originally Agenda 21). She wrote a book called Behind the Green Mask that details the way land use laws will be used to strip of us of private property. This is why Val Hoyle is working Oregon’s Fire Marshal to create a Wildfire Risk map—it will allow the state to determine land “risky” and thus prevent owners from insuring, or even owning the land.
Interesting, I was unaware of the machinations of the U.N. Thank you for the information.
Please watch a Rosa Koire video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ykELwj1Ta8 She lays it all out. Bush Sr. signed it, the Pelosi introduced it into Congress and Clinton signed it into law. Then, Obama signed the updated version, Agenda 2030. Every single person needs to keep an eagle eye on their city’s Climate Action Plan, redevelopment plans, housing plans and land use policy. It is terrifying, and happening at break neck speed.
paranoia, here I come. thanks ;o)
There’s an old expression, “paranoia is the highest form of intelligence.” ;-)
Interesting article from "The Capitol Chronicle" regarding a potential candidate for Governor:
https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/16/county-commissioner-and-gop-candidate-in-oregon-governors-race-faces-ethics-investigation/#:~:text=The%20state%20ethics%20commission%20is,position%20to%20benefit%20her%20children.
It would be interesting if the democrats could actually come up with a different playbook than accusations and hearings. The party that does nothing but tax and spend...I think Oregon's economic future is bleak unless there are serious changes to taxes and the current direction of the state's leadership. Unfortunately I think the sheep will continue to be sheep.