Oregon Local Business, Insurance, and Government Resources

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Business Resources - Anything from getting a business license to finding funding

Local Insurance directory - Find local insurance brokers, agents, or companies

Government Contacts - Get in contact with each level of local government

Oregon Local Business Resources

To operate a business in Oregon, you must first register it with the local government. The Business Xpress is a collaborative effort between various agencies in Oregon to provide assistance to new business owners.

Once you have your business plan sorted, you can start by selecting your business name and structure. It is also a good idea to check the availability of your preferred business name. You can go to this website to conduct a search.

With this, you can proceed with the registration process of your business. You can register your business tax to obtain your federal tax number and to register for any other applicable taxes for your business. You must also secure any required licenses and permits depending on the location of your business and the nature of your business.

If you will be hiring employees for your business, you may check with the Secretary of State office for requirements that you need to comply with. For example, you need to obtain certain types of insurances for your employees in order to legally operate. You can check this Oregon Employer's Guide for more details.

You can find more information on how to register a business in Oregon using these resources:

Local Insurance Info, Agents, & Companies in Oregon


Government Contacts

The state of Oregon has 36 counties, 260 municipalities, 236 public school districts, and over 900 special districts. The cities and towns in the state follow a home-rule charter that enables them to choose their form of government. They are also given the power to perform legislation on local matters. As of 1958, the home rule charter has been extended to include counties, as well.

The larger cities in Oregon follow the council-manager system of government. For the smaller communities, though, they elect a city council and mayor. The county governments have elected officials too, such as commissioner, assessor, judge, district attorney, sheriff, and treasurer.

The constitution within the state provides full control on the voters in terms of the local government revenue. All property tax levies will require voter approval.

For majority of the 20th century, Oregon has been majority in the Republican column in the national elections. But as of 1988, the state has been largely in favor of the Democratic Party.

See the main Oregon Page for county links.

Baker

Benton

Clackamas

Clatsop

Columbia

Coos

Crook

Curry

Deschutes

Douglas

Gilliam

Grant

Hood River

Jackson

Jefferson

Josephine

Klamath

Lake

Lane

Lincoln

Linn

Malheur

Marion

Morrow

Multnomah

Polk

Tillamook

Umatilla

Union

Wasco

Washington

Yamhill

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