Posted: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 12:00 am
The job situation in Oregon keeps going downhill, and the majority in the legislature keeps making things worse. How? By making life tougher for employers and refusing to encourage things that might generate more private-sector jobs, such as the BLM timber management plan.
Also, among other things, it has voted to raise taxes and fees, and it is poised to approve a field burning ban that will harm the grass-seed segment of Oregon agriculture.
In order to expand the state health service, the legislature will tax providers in a way that increases costs for all. It also has voted to punish employers if they insist on communicating with workers on labor issues.
Oregon now has the highest increase since last year in the welfare case load, the Wall Street Journal reports. That distinction goes along with Oregon's second place, behind Michigan, in the rate of unemployment.
Just wondering if this is the change that Oregon voters last fall had in mind. (hh)