Marijuana taxes swell state coffers, while the city of Bend wants tourists to volunteer in the community.
Oregon news
—— It’s a pot bonanza. According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, the state has collected about $25.5 million in marijuana taxes in the first six months of the year. Those figures include marijuana-infused edibles sales. State economists estimate that the state will collect about $44.4 million in marijuana taxes in 2016, the first year of the tax. Read more at Oregonlive.
—— Bend loves it tourists — and sometimes hates them. The Bend Bulletin describes the pros and cons of living in one of Oregon’s premier tourist towns. On the plus side, tourists bring money, lots and lots of it. On the downside, tourists bring high rents and loud parties and often inflict damage on parks and forests. To alleviate these concerns, the city is now promoting “voluntourism,” an increasingly popular form of tourism in which visitors volunteer in the community. Read all about it here.
—— A Hubbard businessman is reinvigorating downtown Silverton, building by building. Mohsen Salem is now the owner and developer of the iconic five-sided building that was Larsen Flynn Insurance. The building, which he aims to restore to its former glory, is the third historic building Salem has purchased and restored in the past decade. The Statesman-Journal describes the proposed renovation.
—— Lane County business organizations make the news. Formerly known as the South Willamette Economic Development Corporation, the county’s economic development agency now has a new name, Greater Eugene Inc. (One suspects they were inspired by their Portland counterpart, Greater Portland Inc.) The agency also has a new director, Ward Wimbish, former director of economic development for West Memphis, Ark. Meanwhile, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, unsurprisingly, has come out against Measure 97, the corporate sales tax proposal. Read more about Greater Eugene Inc. at the Eugene Register-Guard.
—— On the coast, a fire in Depoe Bay has residents worried. Meanwhile, the city of Seaside voted to sell bonds to pay for the projected $14.6 million dollar cost. A 2% increase in the hotel tax would also help cover the cost. Read more at the Daily Astorian.
National news
—— More fallout from the Ryan Lochte Olympic Games debacle. The gold medal winning swimmer lost four sponsors in a 24-hour period because of his shenanigans in Rio. The Atlantic has more.
—— Amazon is reportedly moving into the music business. According to Recode, the shopping behemoth, which already sells just about everything, wants to stream music that will only work on its Echo player.
