Policy for the People

The reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House is truly monstrous, slashing health care and nutrition assistance to help pay for tax cuts that mainly would go to the rich. But there's more harm that would flow from the bill.One thing that hasn't gotten a lot of attention is the fact that the reconciliation bill threatens to shrink Oregon revenue collections, due to the way our state tax code connects to the federal tax code. As OCPP Deputy Director Daniel Hauser explains in this episode of Policy for the People, if the US House reconciliation bill becomes law and the Oregon legislature does nothing, Oregon will end up having less money to address the needs of Oregonians, just when there will be greater need due to the federal cuts to health care and nutrition assistance. 

Just ahead of the Memorial Day weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget reconciliation bill – a massive tax and budget package. If this bill ultimately becomes law, it will – among other things – force deep cuts to safety net programs, especially Medicaid and nutrition assistance.One of the members of Congress who voted no on the bill was Representative Andrea Salinas, who represents Oregon's 6th Congressional District.We spoke with Representative Salinas about what the budget reconciliation bill would mean for Oregonians and the people of this country.

Food banks across Oregon are seeing record numbers of people coming in through their doors. Ever since the pandemic, the rising cost of living has been making it harder for families to afford food. And now, at a time when there is a hunger crisis going on, actions by the Trump administration and Congress threaten to make matters worse – far worse.In this episode of Policy for the People, we examine the dire state of hunger in Oregon. Our guest is with Andrea Williams, President of the Oregon Food Bank. Andrea discusses what food pantries in Oregon are seeing, the actions by the Trump administration that have cut support for food bank networks across the country, and the risk that Congress may weaken the nation's most important nutrition program.We also talk about the kinds of policy changes that can take us in a better direction, including Food For All Oregonians, a policy that would ensure that all young children in Oregon, regardless of their immigration status, have access to nutrition assistance. It is a policy proposal premised on the recognition that food is a human right.

In celebration of May Day, International Workers Day, we are issuing this special episode of Policy for the People examining the state of the labor movement. Our guest is Don McIntosh, editor of the Northwest Labor Press, who has been reporting about the labor movement for over two decades. Don discusses the present state of the labor movement, what the Trump Administration means for organized labor, and the policy changes that would remove the barriers that workers face when seeking to form a union.

Right now, the Republican controlled Congress is speeding down a path that would raise costs for food and health care for millions of families by taking away Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. It would do so in order to help pay for massive tax cuts primarily benefiting the most well-off, including millionaires and billionaires.In this episode of Policy for the People, we speak with Oregon Senator Ron Wyden about what the budget blueprint currently being discussed in Congress means for Oregonians and the nation. We also speak with Steve Wamhoff, Federal Policy Director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, about his recent report titled: Federal Tax Policy: What Should It Accomplish? In it he argues that our federal government needs to raise more revenue, not less, and do so in a progressive way. In other words, we need to go in the opposite direction from the current plan in Congress.

The revival of an old idea is offering hope for improving pay and working conditions in entire industries all at once. That policy is often referred to as Workforce Standards Boards.In this episode of Policy for the People, Ira Cuello-Martinez of PCUN, Oregon's Farmworker Union, discusses the tough working conditions that farmworkers in Oregon endure, and why the creation of a Workforce Standards Board for farmworkers – something currently under discussion in Salem – could be a real game changer.Then, David Madland of the Center for American Progress explains the benefits of Workforce Standards Boards and why there's been a resurgence of interest in this policy.

For some Oregonians, the complexity and cost involved in tax filing is a barrier to doing their taxes. Oregonians who would be due a tax refund, who would get money back by filing a tax return, don't receive those dollars because they're unable to navigate the complicated process of preparing and filing a tax return.In this episode of Policy for the People, we discuss two initiatives that are making tax filing easy and free. The first is Direct File. This online tool created by the IRS is now available to eligible Oregonians, explains Tyler Mac Innis of the Oregon Center for Public Policy.The second thing is Oregon's Tax Infrastructure Grant program, a network of organizations that rely on trained volunteers to help low- and moderate-income Oregonians prepare and file their taxes. Riley Eldredge of MFS CASH Oregon, one of the organizations that are part of this network, discusses how free tax assistance can make a big difference in the lives of Oregonians, and why Oregon's Tax Infrastructure Grant program has a huge return on investment. 

Oregon's workforce is getting older, as more and more Oregonians continue to work into their later years of life. But many older workers run up against age discrimination. Age discrimination in the workplace is prevalent in Oregon and nationally, according to research by AARP. In this episode of Policy for the People, we explore the issue of age discrimination in the workplace. Our guest is Andrea Meyer, Director of Government Relations at AARP Oregon. We discuss how pervasive the problem of age discrimination in the workplace is, its consequences, and what Oregon can do to address the problem.

For families struggling to pay the bills, for parents juggling multiple jobs to try to keep things afloat, small amounts of cash can make the difference between making it or not, between having some breathing space or being suffocated by the daily grind. Simply giving cash to families in need is very effective at improving economic and mental well-being.That's a key takeaway from the many experiments with cash programs – guaranteed income – that have been playing out all across the country (and here in Oregon) over the past few years.In this episode of Policy for the People, we explore the policy known as guaranteed income, an idea whose time has come. First, we speak with Shafeka Hashash, Associate Director of Guaranteed Income at the Economic Security Project, about the experiments with guaranteed income that we've been seeing in communities across the country, and what they teach us. Then we take a look at a guaranteed income pilot program right here in Oregon. We speak with Brandi Tuck of Path Home, who says that cash programs have the power to lift families out of poverty for good.

“The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) is facing an unprecedented crisis that threatens worker protections and civil rights enforcement in the state,” according to the Bureau itself.  In this episode of Policy for the People, we speak with Oregon Labor Commissioner Christina Stephenson about the funding crisis that BOLI faces, and what that means for the economic well-being of working Oregonians.We also speak with Jake Barnes of the Workplace Justice Lab at Rutgers University. He is the co-author of a recent report estimating the extent to which workers get paid less than the legally required minimum wage.

How Oregon sets the salary of state legislators and other elected officials could soon change.  If enacted by voters, Measure 116 on the November ballot would take away from the Oregon legislature the responsibility for deciding how much lawmakers, the Governor, and other state elected officials get paid, and give that task to an independent salary commission. In this episode of Policy for the People, we speak with two supporters of Measure 116. Isabela Villarreal is Policy and Communications Manager for Next Up Action Fund. Robin Ye is Political and Strategy Director at East County Rising.

Echoing statements from both presidential candidates, one Oregon State Senator recently put forward the idea of exempting tips from Oregon income taxes. But is exempting tips from taxes a good idea?  In this episode of Policy for the People, we explore the idea of no taxes on tips. Daniel Hauser, Deputy Director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, explains that exempting tips from taxes would do little to improve the economic security of struggling workers, while making our tax system less fair.We also examine the origins of the practice of tipping. Nina Mast of the Economic Policy Institute discusses how tipping is a legacy of our nation's deeply racist past, and what that means for workers today. 

Measure 118 will be one of the most closely watched measures on the November ballot.  Known as “The Oregon Rebate,” the measure would make it so that each year, every resident of Oregon gets a rebate from the state. To pay for these rebates, the measure would institute one of the biggest changes to Oregon's tax system in decades.In this episode of Policy for the People, we take a deep dive into Measure 118. Daniel Hauser, OCPP's Deputy Director, discusses what Measure 118 gets right, and what it doesn't.

Last month saw yet another record in terms of the fortunes held by the nation's superrich. In July 2024, the roughly 800 billionaires in the U.S. were collectively worth about $6 trillion, the highest amount ever. In light of this, it seemed like a good time to replay a prior episode of Policy for the People examining the need to tax extreme wealth. In August of last year, Bob Lord of Patriotic Millionaires joined us to discuss why taxing the rich is essential in order to shrink inequality and save our democracy

Next year, 2025, is setting up to be a pivotal year when it comes to how our nation raises the money needed to pay for public services — things like health, housing, the nation's safety net, and more.The reason for this dates back to 2017. That year, Congress enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, better known as the Trump tax cuts. This tax package contained massive changes to our tax system that mostly amounted to huge tax cuts for the rich and corporations. For procedural reasons, as well as to mask the true costs of these massive tax cuts, Congress made some parts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act temporary. It gave them an expiration date. And that expiration date is 2025.The expiration of parts of the Trump Tax plan offers an opportunity to reassess our nation's tax policy, explains Samantha Jacoby, Deputy Director of Federal Tax Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

Recently, the IRS announced that its Direct File program is expanding. This is a big deal.Filing a tax return is complicated. It's costly. This is a bad situation for everyone, especially families struggling to get by on low wages. The complexity and cost of filing taxes deters many low-income workers from claiming the tax credits for which they are eligible, undermining some of the nation's core anti-poverty strategies.But with Direct File, a new system is beginning to take shape, one that will provide a simple and free way for people to file their tax returns. Courtney O'Reilly, a Senior Program Manager on the Tax Benefits team at Code for America, explains what IRS Direct File is and why its expansion is an exciting development. Then, Daniel Hauser of the Oregon Center for Public Policy discusses what the situation looks like in Oregon – the harm inflicted on Oregonians from our complex and costly tax filing system, as well as efforts to create a better system.

The month of May began with the celebration of International Workers' Day. May Day, as it's often called, dates back to the late 19th Century, when labor movements that counted on heavy participation by immigrant workers agitated for better working conditions. Today in the U.S., May Day celebrates both the labor movement and the immigrant community.In that spirit, this episode of Policy for the People focuses on both the labor movement and immigrants. Anthony Capote of the Immigration Research Initiative discusses the findings of a report he co-wrote titled Immigrants in the Oregon Economy: Overcoming Hurdles, Yet Still Facing Barriers. Also, Kathy Lara of the Oregon Center for Public Policy talks about the latest figures on labor activity in Oregon, as well as the challenges that workers seeking to form a union continue to encounter.

With tax season coming to an end, it's a good moment to discuss the vital role that our tax system plays in our lives. At its best, the tax system makes the economy work better for everyone. At its worst, it deepens existing economic injustices.In this episode, we focus on two aspects of the tax system.  First, we discuss Oregon's record-breaking kicker, which is sending massive tax rebates to the rich, while giving little or nothing to those struggling the most. OCPP's Daniel Hauser explains the policy and discusses how to make the kicker work better for Oregonians.In the second half of the show, we focus on the importance of having a well-funded Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Joe Hughes from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy discusses the long-term erosion of the agency's budget, as well as recent efforts to turn things around.

With lawmakers in Salem having wrapped up their work, we take a look at a couple of legislative developments that perhaps you have not heard about, but which could make a big difference in the economic well-being of many Oregonians.We begin the show by discussing legislation that better protects Oregonians from unfair debt collection practices. Chris Coughlin, Policy Director at Oregon Consumer Justice, talks about the just-enacted Family Financial Protection Act.In the latter half of the show, Candice Vickers, Executive Director of Family Forward Oregon, discusses an effort to get the legislature to put sufficient resources into a vital state child care program, Employment Related Day Care.

We're talking taxes today on Policy for the People, specifically from the vantage point of the Oregonians with the fewest resources, those who are struggling the most to make ends meet.  In our first segment, we hear about a brand new tax credit in Oregon designed to shore up the lowest-income families with young children in our state. Tyler Mac Innis of the Oregon Center for Public Policy explains who qualifies for the Oregon Kids' Credit and why the creation of this new tax credit is a very good thing.But despite the positive development that the Oregon Kids' Credit represents, Oregon's tax system as a whole is one that continues to weigh more heavily on the lowest income families than anyone else. Miles Trinidad of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy discusses the recently released report Who Pays? 

Once again, the possibility of a federal government shutdown is upon us. This renewed threat ultimately arises out of competing visions of the role of government and the kind of nation we want to have, our guest on this episode explains. Sharon Parrott is President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Sharon discusses those competing visions, as well as the prospects for enacting legislation that can improve the lives of people throughout our country.

Hunger in Oregon is rising rapidly, a reflection of the economic insecurity afflicting so many families.In this episode of Policy for the People, we speak with Susannah Morgan, President of the Oregon Food Bank. As Susannah explains, the level of hunger right now is the worst that she has seen in her 28 years of working in food banks in several states.But as she points out, neither hunger nor poverty are inevitable. They are the result of public policy choices, and we can make better policy choices. 

Perhaps the biggest danger from rising economic inequality is what it's doing to our bodies, to our health. Economic inequality is killing us. Literally.In this episode of Policy for the People, we hear from Dr. Stephen Bezruchka, author of the book Inequality Kills Us All.  A former emergency room physician, Stephen is currently an Associate Teaching Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington's School of Public Health.We also get a quick update on the latest figures on inequality. OCPP Policy Analyst Tyler Mac Innis discussing the key takeaways from a new report on income inequality in Oregon.

The share of children in the U.S. living in poverty has soared, according to new data recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. In today's episode, we talk with Tyler Mac Innis, a policy analyst with the Oregon Center for Public Policy, about what's behind the surge in child poverty. We also discuss how the federal government measures poverty in a way that significantly understates the number of families having trouble making ends meet.In the second half of the show, we explore a different, more accurate measure of economic insecurity developed by the United Way. We talk with Jim Cooper, President and CEO of United Way of the Pacific Northwest, about the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) Index, and what this measure economic insecurity tells us about the current reality facing Oregon families.

This special episode examines what is looking increasingly likely: a federal government shutdown. Unless Congress can pass a continuing budget resolution by September 30, the shutdown will begin on Sunday, October 1.What would a federal government shutdown mean for people in Oregon and across the nation? Who would be most affected? And what are the deeper policy and ideological differences driving the nation toward a federal government shutdown?To examine these issues, the Oregon Center for Public Policy's Executive Director, Alejandro Queral, spoke with someone with decades of experience navigating the halls of Congress: Ellen Nissenbaum, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

All of the strike activity we're seeing right now is a hopeful sign for those who want to see an economy that works for everyone. In this episode, we speak with Margaret Poydock and Jennifer Sherer of the Economic Policy Institute, co-authors of the recent report What to know about this summer's strike activity. We discuss what's driving the recent wave of strikes, the challenges workers encounter when seeking to strike, and the policy changes that would strengthen workers' ability to act collectively. 

Money is power. And the extreme concentration of wealth that we're seeing means that more and more political power is in the hands of billionaires, who use that power to further increase their wealth, according to today's guest, Bob Lord. Bob is the Senior Advisor on Tax Policy for Patriotic Millionaires, as well as an associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.In this episode of Policy for the People, we talk with Bob Lord about why taxing the rich is essential in order to shrink inequality and save our democracy. 

On July 1, workers in one region of Oregon achieved what once seemed an inspired goal. The minimum wage in the Portland metro area — not in the rest of the state — crossed the $15 an hour level. But this milestone arrived more than a decade after workers across the country began demanding a $15 an hour minimum wage.In this episode, we examine how much actual progress Oregon's minimum wage workers made since the legislature established a new minimum wage law seven years ago.We finish with a brief discussion on a big win for Oregon's most vulnerable children: the legislature's decision to establish the Oregon Kids' Credit, a new state child tax credit.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that threats of violence against the LGBT community are on the rise. We've also seen a slew of anti-LGBT legislation in statehouses across the country.  In addition to increased hostility and threats to physical safety, the LGBT community also faces higher levels of another form of violence, what Gandhi described as “the worst form of violence”: poverty.In this episode of Policy for the People, we discuss the issue of poverty in the LGBT community with Dr. Bianca D.M. Wilson, a Senior Scholar of Public Policy with the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. The Williams Institute is the nation's leading research center on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy.

The clock is ticking on the nation's ability to pay its debts, as U.S. House Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats and the White House agree to steep budget cuts. While much of the attention has been on the economic crisis that could follow a default by the U.S. on its debt obligations, that's not the only risk facing the nation and our state.In this special episode of Policy for the People, we examine what's at stake for Oregonians in the debt ceiling negotiations.OCPP executive director Alejandro Queral spoke with Whitney Tucker, Director of State Fiscal Policy Research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about the economic hardship that would fall on Oregonians from the budget cuts sought by House Republicans.

Over the past four-and-a-half decades, we have seen economic inequality return with a vengeance. We're living through a new Gilded Age, comparable to the one at the turn of the 19th Century. The first Gilded Age was the age of Rockefeller and Carnegie; ours is the age of Bezos and Knight. The return of extreme wealth inequality is the result of public policy choices, not least decisions in how we tax the superrich.In this episode of Policy for the People, we look at two different policies on how we tax – or don't tax – the wealthy. In the first segment, we examine the tax break known as Opportunity Zones. Bennett Minton of Tax Fairness Oregon explains why this is a tax break where only the rich can play.In the second segment, the Oregon Center for Public Policy's Daniel Hauser discusses a recent attempt by some Oregon lawmakers to fast-track a repeal of the estate tax – the only real mechanism we have in Oregon for taxing extreme wealth.

Many families in Oregon struggle to put food on the table, and this is especially true for many immigrant families. They are excluded from the nation's most important anti-hunger program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). As a result, many immigrants – including the very people who grow, harvest, and process the food we eat – cannot access federal food assistance.But there is hope on the horizon. Oregon Senate Bill 610, known as Food for All Oregonians, would extend food assistance to immigrant families where the federal government fails to do so.In this episode of Policy for the People, we talk about SB 610 with Fatima Jawaid Marty, the campaign manager for Food for All Oregonians, and Aldo Solano, the Strategic Partnerships Manager at the Oregon Food Bank.

Care workers play a vital role in our communities.  They feed, bathe, and otherwise care for those who cannot take care of themselves. In doing so, care workers make it possible for others to go to work and live their lives. Unfortunately, care workers get paid low wages and few benefits, all while performing physically and emotionally demanding work.In this episode, we speak with Melissa Unger, Executive Director of SEIU Local 503, about the challenges facing care workers – specifically, those who perform long-term care work. We discuss what Oregon lawmakers should do to ensure that care workers can take care of themselves and their families.  One of the policies that could go a long way in improving working conditions for long-term care workers is what's known as a “wage board.”  We end the show with a conversation with Janet Bauer, Director of Policy Research at the Oregon Center for Public Policy, about the benefits of wage boards.

Right now, the Oregon legislature is considering a bill that would establish the Oregon Kids' Credit.  This state child tax credit would put money in the pockets of the families with the fewest resources, helping them cover the rent, pay for food and other essentials. The need for a state child tax credit became all the more urgent after Congress failed to renew the enhanced federal child tax credit that did so much to reduce poverty in our nation in 2021.We discuss the Oregon Kids' Credit proposal with two of its champions, State Representatives Andrea Valderrama and Lisa Reynolds.But first we look at how the enhanced federal child tax credit made a crucial difference in the life of one  family in Oregon.

One of the big topics of discussion in Salem right now is whether to provide new subsidies for semiconductor companies like Intel. This push for new subsidies stems from the congressional enactment of the CHIPS Act, by which the federal government has pledged tens of billions of dollars to ramp up semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. Understandably, Oregon lawmakers are eager to see some of that money flow to Oregon.But are corporate subsidies worth the cost? Do business incentives actually accomplish what state and local governments hope to achieve? And what should Oregon lawmakers do in response to the semiconductor industry's current call for new state subsidies?In this episode of Policy for the People, we explore these questions with two guests: Greg LeRoy, executive director at Good Jobs First, and John Calhoun, a volunteer with Tax Fairness Oregon.

Is there a way for Oregon to ensure that everyone in our state has access to affordable, quality health care? And can it be done at a lower cost compared to our current, complicated system of health care?There is, according to a group of experts, policymakers, and community members who spent about two years looking into these questions. Created by the Oregon legislature, the Task Force on Universal Health Care has produced a blueprint for a single-payer health care system in Oregon. In this episode of Policy for the People, we speak with Dr. Bruce Goldberg, chair of the task force, about what such a system would mean for individuals and families, health providers, and employers.

The strengthening of the federal Child Tax Credit in 2021 caused child poverty to plummet. Unfortunately, those changes were temporary. And now, millions of kids across the country are falling back into poverty, due to congressional action.In this episode of Policy for the People, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden talks about his efforts to bring back the enhanced Child Tax Credit before the year ends — before a new Congress takes its seat in January.Our focus on kids continues in our second segment. Ivy Major-McDowall, Policy and Advocacy Director at Our Children Oregon, discusses what the data says about the well-being of Oregon's children.

In addition to violence and discrimination, the transgender community faces a challenge that few others do: the fact that the federal government collects almost no data about the trans community. The absence of reliable data about the realities experienced by the transgender community makes it harder for the community to fight for justice. In the absence of government-collected data about the trans community, one particular resource has helped fill the void: the U.S. Trans Survey.Seth Johnstone, Transgender Justice Program Manager with Basic Rights Oregon, discusses  the importance of increasing visibility and awareness of the transgender community, as well as the importance of the U.S. Trans Survey.

Wealth inequality is at mind-boggling levels. A new report by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP) shows how much of Oregon's wealth is in the hands of a few billionaires. OCPP Policy Analyst Tyler Mac Innis explains just how extreme wealth inequality is in Oregon and the factors driving inequality. But how does Oregon compare to the rest of the country? Carl Davis, Research Director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, explains how Oregon stacks up in terms of wealth inequality and how federal tax policy is a key tool for reducing inequality.Read OCPP's report Wealth Inequality in Oregon Is Extreme.Read ITEP's report The Geographic Distribution of Extreme Wealth in the U.S.

In recent years, some lawmakers have failed to show up for work as a tactic to derail legislation. We speak with Tan Perkins, campaign manager for Measure 113, about the harm that legislative walkouts inflicts on Oregonians, and how the measure would deter walkouts.In the second segment of the show, Audrey Mechling of the Oregon Center for Public Policy explains the good, the bad, and the ugly in the latest poverty figures.

In an earlier era, a vibrant labor movement nurtured a broad middle class. But half-a-century ago, under severe attack from corporations, the fortunes of organized labor began to turn for the worse.Right now, though, we are seeing hopeful signs of a revival of union power, explains Mark Brenner, an economist and co-director of the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the University of Oregon. Mark discusses the past and present state of the labor movement.Few workers face greater challenges than farmworkers, who endure low-pay and dangerous working conditions while performing truly essential work. In the second half of the show, Reyna Lopez, executive director of Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), discusses the challenges faced by Oregon's farmworker movement, as well as its achievements and aspirations.

Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, has used all kinds of tricks to keep our tax system complicated and expensive. Most Americans pay the price, especially those who can least afford it. But there is legislation in Congress that would fix the problem, creating a truly free and simple tax filing system for most folks. Guests: Janet Bauer of The Oregon Center for Public Policy and Susan Harley of Public Citizen.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision ending of the constitutional right to abortion threatens economic harm to many. In our first segment of this episode, we discuss the economic impact of the court's ruling with Asha Banerjee, an Economic Analyst with the Economic Policy Institute.Did you know one in four minimum wage workers in Oregon are parents?  In our second segment, OCPP Policy Analyst Tyler Mac Innis discusses the increase in Oregon's minimum wage that just went into effect, and how far our minimum wage remains from being a living wage.

A few weeks ago, we learned that a $3 billion "kicker" rebate could be on its way. As usual, the rich would get huge checks, while the lowest-income Oregonians -- those who could really use some extra money to pay the bills -- would get chump change. In this episode, we hear from Mark McMullen, head of the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, about the state of Oregon's economy and the prospects of a new kicker. We also hear from Daniel Hauser, the Oregon Center for Public Policy's Director of Strategic Policy Projects, on what's wrong with the kicker and how to reform it to serve the interests of all Oregonians.

Oregon's biggest housing program, the mortgage interest deduction, does nothing to ease the state's long-running housing crisis. That's because this billion-dollar housing subsidy mainly benefits well-off homeowners. This is only one of the many flaws of the mortgage interest deduction, according to a recent audit by the Oregon Secretary of State's Office. In this episode of Policy for the People, we talk with Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan and Audits Director Kip Memmott about what the audit revealed.Read the audit Without Legislative Action the Mortgage Interest Deduction Will Remain Regressive and Inequitable. 

Large scale experiments carried out during the pandemic have given a boost to an old idea: addressing poverty and economic insecurity by giving people cash with no strings attached.  In this episode, we speak with State Representative Andrea Valderrama (HD 47) about the legislature's recent decision to send a one-time payment of $600 to low-paid workers in Oregon. Also, OCPP Director of Policy Research Janet Bauer discusses the growing body of evidence showing that guaranteed income and other cash policies are effective at addressing economic insecurity.

On Women's History Month, Policy for the People explores the gender biases in the tax code and reforms that can advance gender justice. We discuss these issues with Amy Matsui, Director of Income Security and Senior Counsel at the National Women's Law Center.

With guests Andrea Paluso of Family Forward Oregon and Mary King, economics professor emeritus at Portland State University, we examine Oregon's child care crisis – the challenges it poses for families, child care workers, and the economy. And we discuss the kinds of policy changes that can set things right.

Despite often performing work considered essential to the nation's critical infrastructure, undocumented workers live under the constant fear of deportation. In this episode of Policy for the People, Janet Bauer of the Oregon Center for Public Policy and Isa Peña of Innovation Law Lab discuss how deportation wreaks havoc on families and weakens Oregon's economy, as well as what the state can do to reduce the harm.Learn more: read the report Deportation harms Oregon's economy and upends family security.

In this special episode of Policy for the People, we share a recording of a presentation by the Oregon Center for Public Policy titled "The Racist Roots of Oregon's Tax System."  Listen to OCPP communications director Juan Carlos Ordóñez discuss how Oregon's tax system entrenches and even deepens racial inequality. 

One of the biggest tax havens in the world — one of the main places where the superrich go to stash their money and avoid taxes — is the U.S. This is largely due to the fact that a number of U.S. states have transformed themselves into tax havens. In this episode of Policy for the People, we talk to Kalena Thomhave, a researcher with the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, about the rise of domestic tax havens and how they make the already severe problem of vast wealth inequality even worse.