Senator Kim Thatcher’s 2025 End-of-Session Newsletter lays out the session’s affect on Oregon’s businesses. Back when Republicans held greater influence in the Legislature—particularly in the early 2000s—Oregon ranked in the top half of states for business climate, with a reputation for innovation, low regulatory burden, and a competitive tax structure.

Today, Oregon ranks a dismal 44th in the nation in Chief Executive’s 2025 Best & Worst States for Business—beating out only Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, and California. That’s down from 43rd in 2024 and 36th in 2023.

According to the Oregon Business & Industry Competitiveness Index, the state now ranks in the bottom tier for:

• Tax burden
• Regulatory complexity
• Workforce availability

The consequences are real. A University of Oregon study commissioned by Business Oregon found that Oregon has lost thousands of jobs and billions in private investment over the past five years, with up to $3 billion in capital flowing to other states. Nearly a quarter of surveyed businesses reported being approached by out-of-state recruiters—and 68% of those either moved or expanded elsewhere. The study warns that unless Oregon improves its business climate, the exodus will continue.

Oregon has lost major employers like Precision Castparts, Daimler Trucks, and Dutch Bros, which recently moved its headquarters to Arizona, citing the state’s “toxic environment” for job creators. Here’s a look at just a few of the businesses that have left or scaled back since the early 2000s—and what they took with them:

• Dutch Bros – Moved HQ to Phoenix; Oregon lost access to over $1.28 billion in annual revenue and countless regional jobs
• Tektronix – Relocated HQ to North Carolina; once Oregon’s largest private employer
• Jeld-Wen – Closed its Chiloquin plant (128 jobs lost) and moved HQ out of state
• Columbia Sportswear – Bypassed Oregon, investing $4 million and 175 new jobs in Kentucky
• REI, Keen, and Adobe – Downsized or left the Portland metro area entirely (state-level job and revenue loss data is currently unavailable)
• Vacasa and Radius Recycling – Acquired by out-of-state firms, bringing uncertainty to Oregon operations
• Portland’s commercial sector – Hit a 35% vacancy rate; major downtown spaces now dubbed “ghost towers”
• Nike – Announced layoffs of approximately 740 employees at its Beaverton HQ in early 2025
• Intel – Oregon’s largest private employer, will lay off 15% to 20% of its factory workforce starting mid-July, affecting thousands of working Oregonians.

As Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham put it: “At some point, this stops being bad luck and starts being a pattern. Oregon is stuck in a doom loop of bloated bureaucracy, endless regulations, one of the highest tax burdens in the nation, and leadership that drives businesses away instead of attracting them.”

Unfortunately, some policies passed this session will set Oregon further back—especially for job creators and housing sector. SB 916, awaits the Governor's signature, pays Unemployment Benefits for Striking Workers. This bill allows public and private employees to collect unemployment benefits while on strike—a move that many believe:

• Undermines the very purpose of striking (which carries personal economic risk)
• Adds pressure to Oregon’s $6.4 billion Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
• Encourages longer and more frequent walkouts.

This sets a ridiculous precedent for Oregon’s fiscal sustainability and economic reliability.

SB 426, signed into law, affects General Contractor and Property Owner Liability by:

• Holding general contractors and even property owners liable if subcontractors fail to pay their workers
• Creating a “rebuttable presumption” that all laborers are employees unless proven otherwise
• Prohibiting exemption even if the contractor has already paid the subcontractor in full
• Creating a shocking shift in responsibility for those who follow the rules—while those who don’t are rewarded with a second check from someone else’s pocket
• Exempting subcontractors who most often fail to pay their workers are labor contractors who are not required to register with the Construction Contractors Board (CCB).

Senator Thatcher introduced SB 1200, which would have required labor contractors working on construction projects to register with the CCB—opening up avenues of redress through administrative law when there are complaints of wrongdoing.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham states: “Oregon’s anti-business climate, high taxes, and housing restrictions... are strangling opportunity. It’s not a lack of money. It’s a lack of leadership.”

Rep. Dwayne Yunker didn’t mince words either: “Democrats have taxed, regulated, and micromanaged this state into decline—and now they want to point the finger at Washington. Give me a break… Oregon’s job creators are heading for the exits. And who can blame them? The high tax burden, endless red tape, and uncertainty from Salem have made Oregon one of the least business-friendly states in the nation.”

Thatcher wrote, “This isn’t about partisanship—it’s about competence. When lawmakers with no business background pass laws that punish responsible contractors or reward striking workers with unemployment benefits, it’s not just misguided—it’s reckless

“Legislators creating economic policy without business experience is like a chef designing a menu without ever having cooked a meal—they may dream up delicious ideas but lack the practical know-how to make them a reality.

“So why are we continually choosing people with no business experience to write the rules for Oregon’s economy? Does this sound like a smart or practical way in which to govern our society? Do you call a plumber when you need your car fixed? Well, that’s just stupid and poor leadership if you really think about doing things right and what’s best for Oregon. This certainly isn’t the Oregon way I know.”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-07-18 13:17:42

Last Update: 2025-07-18 01:38:23