Dear Friends,    
 
This is my 5 th year in the legislature. In the past 3 years we have seen major changes in policy affecting Oregonians livelihoods and cost of living. This year much of the legislation is aimed at those who employ others. Based on conversations with business owners, confidence in Oregon is at an all time low.

What grows an economy? Confidence! Why do people make investments? Because they have confidence that the odds of getting a return on that investment will be profitable. Why do people purchase a certain brand rather than another? Confidence based either on their own experience or from the recommendations of people they trust.

Why do entrepreneurs take risks? Confidence that their idea, market research, workable plan, saleable product, and the willingness to commit themselves to hard work in their investment is a calculated risk they are willing to take. President Obama ran on a mantra of hope and change. He got elected but could not develop a confidence in the business world that would grow the economy past a meager couple of percentage points. After 8 years of little growth and little wealth, we elected a president who ran on growing business, conservative values, retrieving a middle class, and returning to greatness. He was elected and our economy has exploded. Why? In one word, confidence. Regulations would be reduced, taxes would be decreased, and unemployment would be all but eliminated.

The US economy is good, and people have confidence that, if they invest well, they will receive a good return on their investment. But the changes being introduced in the Oregon legislature this year have Oregon’s business community concerned. From the ag community, real estate, manufacturers, construction, and retail, all have concerns about these proposed policies. Rent control has already brought about the opposite effect they thought it would, but the results they were warned of. Rents increased, people were evicted, and properties sold before the legislation could be signed. Very sad for many in the lowest income brackets.

We live in a state where the growing majority of job creators lack confidence that Oregon will provide a good future for their business. Many of these people have poured their lives and their life’s investment into their Oregon businesses. This year in the legislature, more than any other year, I see ideology trumping economic policy from folks who don’t understand small business. They don’t know what it takes to employ people, what it takes to compete in a worldwide market, and that most in agriculture can’t raise their prices to accommodate increased costs of doing business. It is also extremely difficult and costly for small businesses to afford health insurance for themselves and their employees or see how raising the cost of living in Oregon affects their ability to hire more workers.

In the last 3 years, we have seen minimum wage go up, paid sick leave, predictable scheduling, limits on hours worked in a week, pay equity and other bureaucratic mandates that I’m forgetting. This year we have rent control that has already passed and a bill where businesses that provide health care for employees will be taxed on those health care premiums. We have bills regarding cap and trade that will raise everyone’s energy costs, limits on your home mortgage deductions, raising SAIF costs, and today HB3031 : 32 weeks of paid family leave.

Unfortunately these will seem small compared to the upcoming tax reform that will raise corporate taxes $2 to $4 BILLION dollars per biennium. And we all know corporate taxes are passed on to the individual. In more conceivable terms, a billion dollars is 1,000 million dollars. That means to raise $4 billion dollars; you would have to raise 4,000 million dollars in taxes. When passed on to the people of Oregon, which it will be, you would take $4 billion divided by 4.2 million people, which equals $950.00 per person or $3,810.00 in taxes every two years for a family of 4. Is Oregon getting more expensive? You can watch the needle rise. 

In a legislature that is ruled by a supermajority of Democrats in both chambers as well as the Governor’s office, we Republican legislators have little effect. But the voice of the people is what makes a difference. For information on bills, committees, legislators, phone numbers and email addresses as well as other government information, go to https://olis.leg.state.or.us/  It will give you probably more information than you want to know.

There’s not a better time to get engaged if you care about Oregon’s future and how it affects you and your family.