Income taxes may be to blame for Oregonian exodus to Washington
More than 5,400 people moved from Multnomah County across the Columbia River to Clark County between 2016 and 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Less than half as many people have moved in the opposite direction. A new report from the Portland Business Alliance attempts to analyze why people are leaving the Rose City, and one reason might be the Beaver State’s taxes. Oregon has one of the highest statewide income taxes in the nation, at 9.9%. Washington has no income tax. Andrew Hoan with the business alliance said taxes coupled with rising housing costs are making it easier for Portlanders to jump ship. (Sarah Wolf/The Columbian)
Ownership change at Astoria apartment forces tough choices for residents
When a low-income apartment complex in Astoria’s Uniontown neighborhood changed ownership last fall, it was not long until tenants were given 90-day notices to leave. The four-story, 13-bedroom building on West Bond Street was known as the “vet’s house” — a communal-style space that was home to several military veterans and people who used to be homeless. Former tenants, neighbors and others described the apartment complex as deteriorating and in constant turmoil, where drug use and other nefarious activity were commonplace. Despite the problems, some tenants said they stayed because it was better than living on the streets. The evictions left tenants scrambling to find new housing in a market on the North Coast that has become increasingly competitive, especially for renters at the lower end of the income scale. (Nicole Bates/The Astorian)
PBOT says Portlanders aren’t riding bikes much anymore
The more the Portland Bureau of Transportation spends to encourage people to ride bicycles, the fewer actually do. That’s the conclusion of PBOT’s recently released “2022 Portland Bike County Report.” It found that bike riding in Portland has dropped consistently since 2016, even though spending on infrastructure safety projects and programs to encourage bike riding has increased. According to the report, bike riding as a mode of transportation peaked at 7.2% of commuters in 2014. Ridership remained flat until 2016 when it began falling to 2.8% in 2022. (Jim Redden/The Portland Tribune)
Western snowy plover rebound continues as nesting season begins
Oregon’s cutest shorebird has made a big rally over the past two decades, from the verge of extinction to expanding its range. Western snowy plovers, which nest in beach sand on the Oregon Coast and resemble palm-sized cotton balls with legs, reached an estimated population of 483 in the most recent count, up from as low as 76 in 2003 and just 55 in 1993. That was the year plovers were listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Roping off areas of dry sand on coastal beaches during nesting season, which runs from March through September, has helped the species rebound. (Zach Urness/Salem Statesman Journal)
Cracker Barrel closes locations in Beaverton, Tualatin and Bend
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store abruptly closed three locations in Oregon on Monday. The company reported that its fourth-quarter revenue growth was below expectations, driven by lower-than-anticipated travel volumes and fewer customers in the 65 and older age group. High gas prices and inflation were also cited in the Sept. 27 financial statement. The company said in a statement provided to the Bend Bulletin that Cracker Barrel doesn’t take closing a store lightly and “our focus right now is in assisting our impacted employees during this transition.” (The Bend Bulletin)
