Free Newsletter
House bill reduces budget public notice requirements
The Oregon House of Representatives last month voted 59-1 to pass a bill 鈥� HB 2425 鈥� intended to make state budget statutes more understandable and readable for the general public. Part of the bill would reduce both the amount of budget information and the amount of budget-related public notices that need to be published in newspapers.
Businesses want Legislature to leave them alone
J.L. Wilson of Associated Oregon Industries says business owners only want the Oregon Legislature to stay out of their way.
Bill to close energy department has support
A hearing Tuesday by the House Energy Environment and Water committee about the possibility of disbanding the Oregon Department of Energy was a starting point for discussion, but the details of how to address problems with the agency still need to be hashed out.
Legislators expect funding talk of CRC, little else
State legislators leading the House and Senate transportation committees expect to hash over details of the Columbia River Crossing project in the upcoming session, but none hold out much hope for any funding decisions this year.
Lawmakers seek to alter Oregon land-use system
The state Republican caucus recognizes that municipalities in the Willamette Valley, along the Oregon Coast and in the Portland-metro area need to use land differently. Now an effort is under way to accommodate those needs.
Portland could lose the PDC
I want to take a moment and follow up on my two previous blog posts (here and here), which examined the potential closure of all 425 redevelopment agencies in California. […]
Bill proposes dissolving Oregon energy department
A proposal to dissolve the Oregon Department of Energy and distribute its various programs to other state agencies is slated to go before the Legislature next month.
Ready supply of buildable land to be pitched to lawmakers
Oregon's commercial real estate community is calling for the state Legislature to create a tiered system of developable land - including categories for land that can be developed down the line and land that can be developed almost immediately.
Salem Hospital looks to purchase former school
Salem Hospital is looking to purchase the former home of the Oregon School for the Blind. The hospital has entered into a purchase agreement with the state, which closed the school last year because of low enrollment.
Oregon fuel standards worry biofuel industry
Biofuel industry members are concerned about how heavily a new fuel standard will weigh carbon impacts from land use to grow biofuels.
Oregon defibrillator law now clearer
Building owners have been confused about a law requiring them to install automated external defibrillators in their buildings.
Land deal with Klamath Tribes spurs controversy
Sen. Jeff Merkley is rallying behind governmental leaders from several Oregon municipalities to stop a proposed land deal that he says "would set a terrible precedent and create a significant loophole in the state's land use system."
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
