Oregon should work to ensure better return on investment and transparency in the $340 million a year in tax breaks and cash incentives it provides to businesses, a new audit from the Secretary of State's office concludes.

Facing a projected two-year budget shortfall of $1.7 billion, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has proposed a biennial budget she characterized as a "short-term" solution that uses new revenues and cuts to keep core services funded. The proposed $74.3 billion budget includes a healthy amount for bond issuance to fund capital projects.

Business Oregon announced the third quarter's allocation of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to cities and counties for community enhancements across the state. Ten cities and two counties will receive awards totaling $11,712,681.

Central Oregon governments want state lawmakers to allow requests for property tax increases that would fund the area's mass transit system. Funding so far has come from a combination of sources. The city of Bend contributed $2.9 million for the system out of its 2015-2017 budget.

Data centers are drawn to Oregon by the absence of a state sales tax and by local property tax breaks. LinkedIn's project, like almost every other large data center in the state, is in an enterprise zone that exempts its high-end computers from the property taxes other businesses pay.

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