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Rise in Hours Portends Job Gains by David Cooke Oregon Employment Dept.

Oregon average weekly hours data indicate that in some respects businesses are poised for economic recovery. For the state as a whole, the average workweek for manufacturing production workers is back to normal. In June, this average was 39.2 hours per week, which was close to the levels seen in 2001 through 2004, but down somewhat from the frantic pace during the credit-induced boom of 2005 through 2007.

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Latest state economic forecast and impacts of Measures 66 & 67 By Economist Dr. Eric Fruits, Econinternational

This is a “told you so” story about Measures 66 & 67 …

In December 2009, Randall Pozdena and I published research forecasting the impacts of Measures 66 and 67 on Oregon employment (a copy of the study is attached).  Our study was based on thorough research of peer-reviewed literature and a quantitative analysis of the taxes and economic growth across the U.S. and ov

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Many, many business groups and writers have come out against the new 1099 rules which were contained in section 9006 of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (P.L. 111-148) (the health care reform bill). I am not aware of any commentators who are not urging the repeal of the new rules. Why? Well, because they are onerous and ridiculous.

If you are in business, and you buy goods in the course of your business, you are going to have to issue Forms 1099 to the businesses from which you buy more than $600 in goods during the year.

“Example 1: I am an independent contractor. I buy a computer from My Local Friendly Retailer for $601. I hav

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More Than One-Third of Employers Use Social Media to Promote Their Organizations New CareerBuilder Survey

– One-quarter of companies leverage social media to recruit and research potential employees– – Twenty-nine percent of companies with 500 or fewer employees utilize social media– – More than half of leisure and hospitality organizations use social media; tops industries surveyed– CHICAGO, August 18, 2010 – As companies emerge from one of the steepest economic downturns in history, they understand the significant reach and importance of using social media to promote and rebuild their organizations. A new CareerB

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The Oregon Public Health Division is working on legislation to enact a tax on sweetened beverages.    This would include many sodas and other sweetened drinks like Gatorade and ice tea drinks.  The cost of a half-cent per ounce would equal to be about 6-cents per soda bottle.   This beverage tax would generate over $160 million  for the State of Oregon Government.

The Health Division is advocating the proceeds be used for anti-obesity programs.     The proposal also comes at a time when Governor Kulongoski has announced that the state is $10.3 billion deficit over the next ten years.    Many product taxes start with a dedicated fund idea and then get diverted to pay for other programs.   This is the fear of every taxpayer who finds a continuing tax increase on more and more products.

The legislation which has the approval of Governor Kulongoski would be introduced in the 2011 Legislative Session.   If Oregon Leg

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6 keys to Starbucks record-breaking rebound
By Oregon Small Business Association

In July, Starbucks announced record earnings during the third quarter as U.S. sales rose 9%. The Seattle Coffee Giant participated in new marketing strategies to spur the record comeback that reduce the elitist view of $4 coffee drinks and offer cheaper alternatives to broaden the market outside Starbucks stores.

“There’s no question that improving customer service, quality of beverage and speed of service has had a big impact on revenues,” CFO Troy Alstead said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Burt Helm of Bloomberg reported that the corporation’s fiscal-third-quarter earnings rose 37% based on increased sales. Starbuc

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