News As the April 18 tax filing deadline rapidly approaches, many Oregonians are looking forward to refunds. But some of them, chances are, will fall into a trap more costly than taking out a payday loan.  The Portland advocacy group, Economic Fairness Oregon, has looked into what are called Refund Anticipation Checks. Such checks are effectively a way for cash-strapped taxpayers to borrow the cost ...   More

News Scratch state Sen. Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland) from the list of candidates next year for Metro Council president. Dingfelder, who said in May during the legislative session that people had approached her about running, says she has now decided against it because she likes being in the majority party in the Legislature where she is chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources ...   More

News Mayor Sam Adams has backtracked on his pledge to bring an anti-plastic-bag ordinance to City Council, conceding to state lawmakers' wishes that he instead support a non-binding resolution calling first for an Oregon-wide ban. In a memo signed July 22 [PDF], the mayor says he will bring an ordinance banning the petroleum-based bags in Portland only if the proposed state ban fails in the 2011 ...   More