The Inequality Crisis
Oregon's economy is broken. Productivity has skyrocketed over the past 50 years, but wages have stayed flat. The wealth created by working Oregonians flows upward to executives and shareholders while families struggle to afford groceries, rent, and healthcare.
"I believe it is immoral for billionaires to exist while people sleep outside. Basic human rights like shelter, food, and medicine should not be commodities."
- Rabbi Fora
A $25 Minimum Wage for Oregon
A full-time worker should be able to afford rent, food, and basic necessities. At $15.05 an hour,[1] a full-time worker earns about $31,000 a year, which is not nearly enough to live with dignity in Oregon. Rabbi Fora supports raising Oregon's minimum wage to $25 per hour.
Why $25?
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Matches Productivity
If the minimum wage had kept pace with productivity growth since 1968, it would be over $25 today.[4] Workers deserve the value they create.
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Reflects Cost of Living
Oregon's cost of living has exploded. A living wage in Portland requires $27.47/hour for a single adult without children.[2]
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Boosts the Economy
When workers have money, they spend it locally. Higher wages mean more customers for Oregon businesses.
Supporting Small Businesses
We'll pair minimum wage increases with grants and support for small businesses to compete against corporate giants. The goal isn't to hurt mom-and-pop shops but to ensure workers can actually shop there.
Progressive Tax Reform
Oregon has no sales tax,[5] which is good. But our tax system still asks too little of the wealthiest Oregonians and corporations while working families bear an unfair burden. It's time for the wealthy to pay their fair share.
Progressive Income Tax Brackets
Lower rates for incomes below $52,000, adjust middle income rates, higher rates for earners between $500,000-$1 million, and new upper rates for folks making multimillions a year.
Close Corporate Loopholes
End the tax tricks that let profitable corporations pay little or nothing. If you do business in Oregon, you pay taxes in Oregon.
Equitable Kicker Reform
Reform the kicker so surplus revenue invests in schools and infrastructure instead of giving millionaires windfall checks.
Property Tax Reform
Fix the broken property tax system (Measures 5 and 50) that starves schools while protecting wealthy landowners.
Worker Power & Union Rights
The decline of unions is a major factor in wage stagnation.[6] When workers have power, they get better pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces. Oregon will become the most union-friendly state in the nation.
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Oregon Labor Relations Board
Create a state-level labor board to protect organizing rights beyond the limitations of federal law.
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Ban Non-Compete Agreements
End the predatory practice of non-compete clauses that trap workers in bad jobs. Rabbi Fora has been personally harmed by non-competes and knows their damage firsthand.
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Sectoral Bargaining
Explore industry-wide collective bargaining so workers in the same sector can negotiate together.
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Protect Gig Workers
Ensure gig economy workers have access to benefits, protections, and the right to organize.
Debt Relief & Ending Predatory Lending
Oregonians are drowning in debt: medical bills, student loans, predatory credit cards. This debt traps families in cycles of poverty and enriches the already wealthy. Oregon can lead the nation in debt relief.
State Debt-Buying Program
Oregon will buy medical debt from collectors at pennies on the dollar and forgive it entirely. If TV hosts can do it, so can we.
Cap Predatory Interest Rates
Ban usurious interest rates on consumer loans. If lenders want to do business in Oregon, they can do so without exploiting Oregonians.
Public Banking
Establish a state public bank that can provide low-interest loans and keep Oregon's money working for Oregon.
Financial Literacy
Free financial education for all Oregonians, including lottery winners who often lose their winnings to poor advice.
Oregon for All: Building Toward UBI
Automation and AI are transforming work. Oregon should prepare for a future where traditional employment looks very different and ensure all Oregonians share in our collective prosperity.
Oregon Sovereign Wealth Fund
Like Alaska's Permanent Fund,[7] Oregon will establish a sovereign wealth fund that invests our state's natural and economic resources to build a permanent fund for future generations. Over time, this fund can provide direct payments to every Oregonian: a Universal Basic Income.
This isn't science fiction. Alaska has done it for decades. Norway has done it.[8] Oregon can too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Won't a $25 minimum wage kill jobs?
Decades of economic research show that moderate minimum wage increases don't cause significant job losses. What they do cause: reduced poverty, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and more customers with money to spend. We'll phase in increases and support small businesses through the transition.
Will businesses leave Oregon?
Businesses locate in Oregon for our quality of life, educated workforce, and natural beauty, not for low wages. States with higher minimum wages consistently show strong economic growth. Besides, most minimum wage jobs are local services that can't be offshored.
How does this help rural Oregon?
Rural Oregonians are hurt most by low wages and lack of opportunity. Higher wages mean more money circulating in local economies. Tax reform means better-funded schools and services. And our support for small family farms and local businesses will strengthen rural communities.
Questions or Feedback?
Have questions about Rabbi Fora's economic policy? Want to share your thoughts? We'd love to hear from you.
Fight for Economic Justice
An economy that works for everyone is possible. Join us in building an Oregon where hard work pays off and every family can thrive.
Sources & Citations
- [1] Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. "Oregon Minimum Wage." Statewide rate: $15.05/hour (July 2025). Available at: oregon.gov/boli
- [2] MIT Living Wage Calculator. "Living Wage Calculation for Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR." December 2025. Available at: livingwage.mit.edu
- [3] Bivens, Josh and Jori Kandra. "CEO Pay Slightly Declined in 2022: But It Has Soared 1,209.2% Since 1978." Economic Policy Institute. September 2023. Available at: epi.org
- [4] Economic Policy Institute. "The Productivity-Pay Gap." Available at: epi.org