Student Debt Decreases Wealth & Homeownership

Wealth, Homeownership Lag for Americans With Student Debt

Americans who take on debt to fund their university studies tend to have less wealth and lower homeownership rates over long periods than those who don’t rely on loans, research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston finds. U.S. student…
2015 Economic Recovery - Isler NW

2015 Will Be The True Test Of The Economic Recovery

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By BEN CASSELMAN Every January since the recession ended in 2009, economists have predicted that this was the year the economic recovery would take off. In 2014, they were finally right. The year didn’t get off to a good start. Gross…

Public Assistance to Low-Wage Workers Costs $1.7 Billion in Oregon

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Public assistance to working Oregonians costs an estimated $1.7 billion annually, according to a new report on the impact of low-paying jobs. Nearly 197,000 workers don't earn enough to cover their basic needs and rely in some part on…
Congress Approves Tax Extenders for 2014

Congress Approves Tax Extenders for 2014

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The U.S. Senate has approved a one-year extension of the tax extenders bill, a grab bag of around 50 tax provisions for businesses and individuals. The bill will cost $42 billion over ten years and applies retroactively to the 2014 tax year.…

Oregon unemployment tax rates to decline

Average savings: $63 per employer a year "Employers that pay into the system will move from Schedule 6 to Schedule 5, saving the average Oregon employer about $63 per employee annually, the agency said on Friday, November 14, 2014." Unemployment…

Lower gas prices may boost holiday sales and other discretionary spending, state economist says

September, the Oregon average for a gallon of regular gas fell to $3.80, down from its summer high near $4. In October, that price was down to $3.44. As of Nov. 24, the average Oregonian was paying $3.04 for a gallon of regular, resulting in…

Office of Economic Analysis Economic Forecast – Oregon

"The U.S. economic recovery remains intact and may finally be exhibiting signs that growth is picking up as job gains across the country are now on pace to be the strongest since 2000. Oregon's employment growth has accelerated sharply over…

Pressure eases on PERS costs but impact uncertain

"Local governments are starting to relax when they look at their bills from the Public Employees Retirement System. After five years of steadily climbing costs, PERS is becoming cheaper or at least not much more expensive. Those costs have made…