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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Oregon Among Top 10 Best State Economies

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Monday, June 13, 2016   

PORTLAND, Ore. - Oregon is inching its way toward the top of state economies, and could be a star in the future.

The survey website WalletHub ranked Oregon's economy 10th best in the country.

Jill Gonzalez, an analyst for WalletHub, says the state government's handling of the budget is one of the most admirable facets of Oregon's economy and a good sign overall.

"When we're looking at the state government surplus, one of the highest in the country at over $1.50 per capita," she says. "Most states would love to be over a dollar surplus. Many of them actually have a deficit. So Oregon has a lot of things going for its own economy."

WalletHub measured three criteria in determining states' rankings: economic activity, economic health, and innovation potential.

Oregonians' rise in personal income, as well as being home to prosperous companies such as Nike, placed Oregon in the top 10 for both economic activity and health.

One of the strongest metrics of Oregon's economy was its large increase in payrolls.

With the recent passage of increased minimum-wage legislation, Gonzalez says the state can expect those numbers to continue trending upwards.

"Oregon already is really leading the way, for it had the fourth highest payroll change when we compared 2015 to 2014, at that 3.5 percent mark," says Gonzalez. "So after passing that bill, we would probably see that increase even more."

Although Oregon's economy showed many good signs, it was outpaced by its two West Coast neighbors. Washington and California ranked, respectively, two and three.

Utah came in on top. Other studies have been kinder to Oregon.

Earlier this year, a Bloomberg study said Oregon had the nation's best-performing economy.


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