Oregon

The stars are starting to align for the long-awaited bridge replacement which received a $600 million federal grant toward the project expected to cost up to $7.5 billion.

The state's Democratic leaders approved $19 million in emergency funding for road maintenance and snowplows after ODOT said it would cut back snowplow services to four days a week amid inflationary pressures and gas tax revenue declines.

Jaime Alvarez, who joined the Oregon State Treasury from Houston in 2021, was named the state's director of debt management in October.

Fitch Ratings did a deep dive on the nation's major airport capital programs, as projects have begun, and how they plan to fund them.

Nonprofit PeaceHealth wants to close the hospital in the city that hosts the University of Oregon and consolidate it with a facility in a neighboring town.

State economists announced during a forecast presentation to lawmakers that taxpayers will see a record "kicker" rebate when they file next year's taxes.

Municipal bond issuance in the Far West was down 2.3% in a first half that saw volume drop 17.1% nationally.

The negative outlook assigned to Portland State University's bonds by Moody's Investors Service affects $195 million of debt.

Economists' quarterly forecast estimates lawmakers will have nearly $696 million more to spend than anticipated and taxpayers will receive $3.9 billion through the state's kicker rebate.

The budget "starts and ends with the housing and homelessness crisis because housing is fundamental to everything else in a person's life," said Gov. Tina Kotek.