By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Despite spending a billion dollars in additional spending to fight affordable housing, Oregon continues to rank among the very worst states for affordable housing according to a new WalletHub study shows.    Oregon ranks fourth in the nation for the percentage of income spent on housing at 33.56 percent, or an average of $2,321.22 a month.

The study reviewed mortgage and energy payments and compared those costs to median household incomes. In Hawaii, people spend about 50 percent of their income on housing , followed by California (43 percent), and Massachusetts (33.67 percent). Washington ranked fifth with 32.97 percent of income going to housing costs. By contrast, residents in Iowa (17.26 percent), West Virginia (18.39 percent), Kansas (18.64 percent), Nebraska (19.34 percent), and Ohio (19.68 percent) spend the least on housing costs.

In 2018 alone, three counties in Oregon (Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington) adopted a $600 million property tax bond for affordable housing.   That is right, the politicians raised property taxes to make housing cheaper.  It didn’t work.

— Was this article helpful?  If yes, please contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).

The post Despite $1B, Oregon #4 for unaffordable housing first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Lars Larson

The Northwest Nonsense

I know a lot of you hate Donald Trump with a passion that knows no limits.

So, with Tax Day 2026 I think it fair to ask, “are you paying at the higher tax rate that would have applied if Kamala had won the ‘24 election”?

The average taxpayer would have been out several thousand bucks in extra taxes.

You could pay the difference to keep your D card.

Just a reminder, the twice-failed Presidential candidate…who apparently plans to run again in two years…proposed a 35 percent hike in corporate taxes.

Harris proposed a tax on unrealized gains for the wealthy.

She also pitched the highest capital gains tax rate since capital gains taxes were first imposed more than 100-years ago.

Pay all of those if you like.

If you truly despise President Trump wouldn’t it make sense for you to voluntarily forgo any benefit you get from the current tax code?

If you’re a blue, tried and true liberal progressive, feel free to pay the old higher rates that applied before the Evil Orange Man’s massive tax cut 9 years ago…now extended under the One Big Beautiful Bill.

I’m betting you still hate Trump, pay the lower taxes and embrace the hypocrisy of America’s Democrat Party.

Without double standards, you’d have none at all

That’s the Rose City Rap. Join me at noon on KXL for 4 hours of Honestly provocative talk. I’m Lars Larson

The post Lars Larson: A tax comparison first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Independent journalist and homeless advocate Kevin Dahlgren interviews a man with a tragic story.  View the post below, then follow Dahlgren and financially support him.

I met an eighty year-old fentanyl addict who is now street homeless. He’s married and owns a home, but his wife doesn’t want him to use drugs in front of the grandkids so he was kicked out. pic.twitter.com/AVx1DZcAwT

— Kevin Dahlgren (@kevinvdahlgren) April 23, 2026

The post 80-yr. old homeless, addict (sad story) first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

Don’t cry for Tom Dundon. He just pulled a fast one and he’s laughing all the way to the bank.

The Texas billionaire is purchasing 80.1% of the Portland Trailblazers at a $4 billion valuation and the remaining 19.9% at a $4.5 billion valuation. To push the deal along, the Blazers lobbying group, Rip City Media, secured $365 million in state tax bailouts to remodel the Blazer arena at the Moda Center. Portland and Multnomah County tax pledges could bring the total tax bailout to $600 million.

“This is a great day for our community,” said Dewayne Hankins, Portland Trail Blazers President of Business Operations, after the legislature approved a bill to subsidize the deal.

We are such rubes. To be honest, it was more a great day for Dundon and his investment group, which stands to reap billions from the acquisition down the road. What makes ordinary people who would never go along with subsidies for billionaires become willing supporters of such rewards when they become politicians?

The payoffs for other buyers of NBA teams who have subsequently sold their teams have been eye watering.

• Boston Celtics: Bought by an investment group, Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C, led by Wyc Grousbeck that purchased the team in 2002 for $360 million; sold to an investment group led by private equity mogul Bill Chisholm in August 2025 for $6.1 billion.
• Phoenix Suns: Bought by Robert Sarver, leading an investment group called Suns Legacy Partners, in 2004 for $401 million; billionaire mortgage lender, Mat Ishbia, purchased the majority stake of the Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury for $4 billion in 2023.
• Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks from H. Ross Perot Jr. in January 2000 for $285 million; Cuban sold a majority interest in the team to Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont of the Adelson family casino empire for $3.5 billion in 2023.
• Charlotte Hornets: Michael Jordan bought a majority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Hornets) from founder Bob Johnson in March 2010 for $275 million; sold his majority stake for $3 billion to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall in July 2023.
• Golden State Warriors: Bought from Chris Cohan by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber for $450 million in July 2010; current valuation estimated at  $10.8 – $11.3 billion.
• Milwaukee Bucks: Bought by former U.S. Senator Herb Kohl in 1985 for $18 million; sold by Kohl to Wes Edens and Marc Lasry in 2014 for $550 million; current estimated valuation $4.1 – $4.5 billion.
• LA Lakers: Bought by Jerry Buss in 1979 for $67.5 million; in June 2025, Buss family agreed to sell controlling interest to Mark Walter, a minority owner since 2021 and owner of the L.A. Dodgers, for $10 billion.

So, weep for taxpayers, not billionaire Dundon and his team.

The post Blazer buyers make out like bandits first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

Top 5 headlines

1 Kotek: gas tax referendum is a ‘tough sell’
2 Oregon’s powerful union rebels against Democrats
3 Clackamas primary draws serious attention
4 Oregon’s rules on collecting water from the sky
5 Is it legal to ignore a speed cam ticket in Oregon?

Bonus

Oregon makes emergency livestock rules permanent
Dudley appears to change abortion views
Ex-mayor, wife dead in murder-suicide

The post Top headlines for the week of 4/24 first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

No Tax Oregon is doing a sign-across-Oregon day Saturday April 24th.  The emphasis is on a new referendum to claw back the federal tax cuts that Oregon liberal lawmakers and Governor Kotek took this year.

View a local petition singing pop-up here.

More on petition here.

The post April 25 is sign-across-Oregon day for petitions first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

What a random incident near a school says about Oregon.   Four under 21 youths were parked near a fire lane in the middle of the day near a school.  Turns out the car was loaded with alcohol, marijuana, meth, cocaine, drug scale and three firearms.  This comes as the County Sheriff is warning about cuts in his department.

Multnomah Sheriff reports,

MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (MCSO) – Deputies with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) conducting proactive patrols have seized three firearms as well as suspected fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana.

This investigation began around 1 a.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2026, when a deputy saw a parked car in a fire lane near the entrance to Davis Park, located at 322 Northeast 194th Avenue in Gresham.

Davis Park is just north of Davis Elementary School.

During the investigation, deputies identified four people inside the car, all of whom were under the age of 21.

Deputies saw open containers of alcohol and signs of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

As a result of the investigation, deputies seized three firearms, ammunition, suspected fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and other indicators of potential drug distribution, such as packaging material.

This arrest highlights the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office commitment to proactive investigations that focus on removing illegally possessed firearms and drugs from our communities. The work of these investigations continues to disrupt local drug distribution networks and supports MCSO’s work of enhancing community safety.

This case remains under investigation and criminal charges will be reviewed by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office is providing a photo related to this case. Please credit the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in full. Because there are multiple ‘MCSO’ agencies within Oregon (including Marion, Morrow, and Malheur counties), using the full name of the sheriff’s office ensures better accuracy.

The post Big youth bust near elementary school (stash of everything) first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

A Vancouver Washington man has created an Eagle nest cam video on YouTube. It shows live viewing of this wonderful nature moment. It also showcases our majestic bald eagle which always makes us proud. You can find it here.

The post NW eagle nest cam — makes USA 250 feel even better first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

There are seven local tax ballot measures of top concern on the Oregon May Primary ballot.

There are 6 bad taxes, and 1 good Right-to-Vote measure.

Here is the Taxpayers Association of Oregon recommendation:

#1. MULTNOMAH (NO on Measure #26-261):  Property tax to fund Historical Society.  The Taxpayers Association believes the Oregon Historical Society should be funded by the state and not placed on the burden of county property taxpayers.

#2. WASHINGTON (NO on Measure #34-350): Property tax increase for parks that is too high.

#3. CLACKAMAS (NO on Measure #3-636): Canby property tax increase for schools that is too high.

#4. CLACKAMAS (YES on Measure #3-632): Wilsonville measure that provides the right-to-vote on urban renewal projects.

#5. LANE  (NO on Measure #20-380): Lane County property tax increase to fund OSU.  The tax is too high.

#6. YAMHILL (NO on Measure #36-239): Newberg property tax increase that is too high.

#7. HOOD RIVER  (NO on Measure #14-83) Very expensive property tax bond every 25 years for a seldom used pool.

STATEWIDE: MEASURE 120. (NO on Measure 120 gas tax).  Vote No to reject the $4.3 billion gas tax.

On most of these local measures, the Taxpayers is the ONLY ORGANIZATION to submit an opposition argument.

If you value our local activism on local tax ballot measures then please support us:

— Was this article helpful?  If yes, please contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).

The post 7 key measures on local ballot (don’t be surprised) first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson made a popular campaign pledge back in 2024 that, if elected, he would eliminate homeless in one year.

Instead, two years later, there is 2,700 more homeless than when the mayor started.

The Mayor help build 1,500 new shelter beds — but they were often suffering from high vacancy rates.  You can build a shelter but you can’t make the homeless live there.

The Taxpayers Association did this cartoon of Gov. Kotek and her wasteful programs.

The post Oops! Mayor who pledged to end homeless in 1 year — finds 2,700 more! first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.

By Guest Submission Meme,

More memes below;

The post (6 memes) A funny welfare test first appeared on Oregon Catalyst.