Oregon Discussion

Oregon spent an estimated $1.47B on services for undocumented immigrants in 2024, while saying there’s no money for roads, schools, or public safety. This highlight comes from the latest full episode of Oregon D.O.G.E. — watch on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

For young Oregonians, housing is the big question. Ty Vizenor argues homeownership starts with keeping more of your paycheck, lowering the tax burden, and proving that more government doesn’t always mean better results.

Ben West says his work as a nurse showed him the human cost of homelessness and addiction. That experience pushed him into county government, where he says Clackamas County is proving practical solutions can outperform the region.

Oregon farmers once needed a permit to clean more than 50 cubic yards from their own ditches. After years of work, that limit became 5,000. It’s a win, but it shows how thick Oregon’s bureaucracy has become.

A manufacturer builds a beautiful, multi-million dollar facility in Oregon and says his one business regret is building it here. That should stop people cold. When job creators and families start losing confidence in Oregon, it’s a warning sign for the whole state.

For many Oregon families, hunting isn’t a hobby, it’s how they fill the freezer. Critics warn some animal cruelty bills could threaten hunting, farming, ranching, and rural life under friendly-sounding names. Read the fine print before it passes.

Angela Todd started PDX Real after seeing problems in her own neighborhood, and realizing most people don’t know who is actually responsible. That matters. If Oregonians want change, they need more than frustration. They need knowledge, and the courage to ask who is accountable.

Not every political clip has to be about policy. Christine Drazan shares a side many Oregonians may not know, growing up around traditional archery, making arrows with her dad, and finding focus in the quiet discipline of shooting sports.

Oregonians rejected a sales tax. Lawmakers passed it anyway—renamed as the CAT tax. It applies whether businesses make a profit or not, and even shows up on receipts. When voters say no, policy shouldn’t be rebranded and pushed through.

The CAT tax compounds at every step of agriculture, from harvest to trucking to processing. When this was explained, the response wasn’t concern, it was dismissal. Policy that ignores how industries actually work doesn’t just miss the mark, it raises costs across the board.

Since the CAT tax passed, Oregon has lost over 34,000 public school students—but funding hasn’t followed them. Schools still receive the money even when students leave. If outcomes mattered, the system would adjust. It hasn’t.

Oregon schools are hiring six-figure administrators just to navigate state grants, while only 38% of education employees are teachers. After the CAT tax, General Fund support dropped—and now rising PERS costs threaten classrooms instead of helping students.

Oregon ranks near the top in cost per capita of state government, yet outcomes don’t match the spending. In 2019, lawmakers promised education funds were locked in—claims later proven untrue. When promises fail, there’s no recourse and no accountability.

The Student Success Act was sold as dedicated funding for schools, but General Fund support was reduced at the same time. The same tactic was used with veteran funding after a 90% voter mandate. Dedicated funds shouldn’t be offset behind the scenes.

Oregon isn’t just seeing warning signs anymore. Job losses are hitting construction, agriculture, and professional services, industries that support families across the state. The concern now: leaders still aren’t fully acknowledging the problem.

Oregon ranks near the bottom in business friendliness, and the impact goes beyond rankings. Fewer opportunities mean fewer jobs, fewer choices, and more families watching the next generation leave the state to build their future somewhere else.

Oregon didn’t always struggle to compete. From timber to manufacturing to innovation, the state once attracted jobs, investment, and growth. Now, many of those advantages have been chipped away, leaving Oregon relying on what it’s always had: its natural beauty.

Oregonians are paying attention, and they’re concerned. Polling shows growing frustration with the state’s direction. The concern isn’t just the data… it’s the gap between what people are experiencing and the decisions coming out of Salem.

In 2019, Oregon ranked 7th in tax competitiveness. Today, it’s around 35th. That kind of drop doesn’t happen by accident. If choices led to the decline… can different choices turn it around?

Oregon leaders acknowledge economic warning signs — but what comes next? After announcing a “prosperity roadmap,” critics say the real test was the legislative session. The concern: recognizing the problem is one thing… acting on it is another.

Oregon lawmakers debated whether convicted violent offenders should be turned over to federal immigration authorities — or released under the current state policy. Multiple attempts to change the law failed this session, raising serious questions about public safety priorities.