Oregonians Should Be Able to Afford Oregon

Last week, Oregon Freedom Coalition began covering the six beacons of sound policy that guide our policy positions toward a better Oregon for all Oregonians. The first beacon covered was accountability. This week, we will be covering affordability.

Affordability ensures that the cost of living in Oregon is well aligned with what Oregonians earn. Currently, the cost of living in Oregon—be it grocery costs, housing costs, or energy costs—is a massive burden upon the average Oregonian. What’s worse is that Oregonians are far too overtaxed, meaning that what they earn from their hard work ends up being pilfered by the state at the end of the day.

Creating an affordable Oregon means bringing down the cost of living while bringing up the growth of wages. The best way to do this is not through the interventionist policies of the last four decades but through a hands-off approach to the economy. Policies guided by the affordability beacon should:

• Naturally lower market costs;

• Focus on free market solutions to supply problems; and

• Allow Oregonians to decide how their money is best spent.

To learn more about how Oregon Freedom Coalition is working to make Oregon more affordable and how you can join us in the movement, visit OregonFreedom.com.