Oregon
State Government
Governor
Tina Kotek (D)
State Senate
17
Democrats,
12
Republicans
State House
35
Democrats,
25
Republicans
Economic well-being - Oregon
Extreme poverty rate
0.07
Food insecurity
0.142
Minimum wage
15.05
Percent of working families under 200% of the poverty line
0.274
Poverty rate
11.8%
Unemployment rate
5
Number of Black or African American children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Number of Hispanic or Latino children living in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment
Percent of individuals who are uninsured
5.2
The Oregonian, February 20, 2012: More than 1,000 rally for children at Capitol
"Brooks said the group's legislative priorities this year are to get the state to do more about child abuse deaths, prevent superintendents from assigning teachers who are being disciplined to alternative school programs, promote an earned income tax credit for low-income families and reduce the number of children jailed for minor offenses through use of diversion programs."
The Oregonian, February 6, 2012: Baby steps on revamping early childhood programs
"Every year, 42,000 children start kindergarten in Oregon. The state's high child poverty rate leads officials to believe that as many as 15,000 arrive unprepared to dive in and learn fast enough. Children unready for kindergarten take extra money to educate and are likely to drop out of high school --a huge problem in a state where the on-time graduation rate is 67 percent."
The Oregonian, January 28, 2012: Study offers grim stats about area Latinos
"A report from Portland State University and the Coalition of Communities of Color delivers grim news about Latinos living in Multnomah County: They are poorer, their jobless rate is higher, and the teen birth rate is six times that for whites."
The Oregonian, January 14, 2012: Poverty reshapes schools
"Kids in poverty tend to move more frequently as their parents seek work. They might not have a computer at home or many books. They may lack the experience of traveling outside their hometowns. "
The Oregonian, January 14, 2012: Poverty reshapes schools
"Kids in poverty tend to move more frequently as their parents seek work. They might not have a computer at home or many books. They may lack the experience of traveling outside their hometowns."
The New York Times, December 18, 2011: Increasingly, Smoking Indoors Is Forbidden at Public Housing
"Officials recognize that a ban can be a burden for tenants, particularly because many are elderly or disabled. At Franklin Towers, where the elevators lumber slowly up 16 floors, Mark Adelson, the executive director of the Portland Housing Authority, half-joked that by the time smokers go outside and get back in, they need to go out again for another cigarette."