Building an Economy That Works for Everyone

Brittany Jones’ Vision for Strengthening Oregon’s Economy

Oregon’s economy should work for everyone — not just large corporations or those already at the top, but the workers, families, and small businesses who form the backbone of our communities. Brittany Jones believes that a strong economy is built by investing in people, strengthening infrastructure, and ensuring that prosperity is shared across the state.

Her economic vision focuses on six core pillars: revitalizing housing, strengthening transportation, supporting living wages, creating tax fairness, strengthening local economies, and reforming Oregon’s property tax system.

Revitalizing Housing to Strengthen Communities

One of the most pressing economic challenges facing Oregon is the cost and availability of housing. But while many conversations focus solely on building new developments, Brittany Jones believes Oregon must also address a problem hiding in plain sight: abandoned and neglected homes sitting empty in neighborhoods across the state.

These properties often become safety hazards, attract crime, and drag down the economic vitality of surrounding communities.

Jones’ housing plan focuses on refurbishing and restoring existing homes that have been abandoned or fallen into disrepair. By rehabilitating these structures and returning them to safe, livable housing, Oregon can:

• Increase available housing without large-scale new development

• Improve neighborhood safety and stability

• Create local construction and trade jobs

• Restore property values in struggling communities

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Revitalizing existing housing stock allows Oregon to address the housing crisis while strengthening communities already in place.

Investing in Transportation to Power Economic Growth

A strong economy depends on reliable infrastructure that connects people to jobs, businesses to markets, and communities to opportunity. Brittany Jones supports expanding and modernizing Oregon’s transportation system so that both people and goods can move efficiently across the state.

Her transportation plan focuses on expanding passenger rail and strengthening highway infrastructure, while also increasing reliable bus connections between communities. Expanding rail lines and regional bus networks would allow Oregon residents to travel between cities and rural areas affordably while reducing congestion on highways.

An expanded rail and transit system would also create a new revenue stream for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) through train and bus ticket sales. By generating transportation revenue through transit use, Oregon can reduce its heavy reliance on gas taxes and vehicle fees that currently place the burden primarily on drivers.

Other states demonstrate how effective this model can be. Illinois, for example, operates one of the most connected regional rail systems in the country through its statewide and regional transit networks centered around Chicago. These systems generate substantial annual revenue from riders while providing affordable transportation options that often cost little more than a typical bus ticket. The result is a system that connects communities across large distances while helping fund transportation infrastructure.

Jones believes Oregon can follow a similar approach by expanding rail corridors and regional bus routes that connect major cities, smaller towns, and rural communities. Increased ridership would not only improve mobility but also create sustainable transportation funding that helps maintain highways, rail lines, and public transit.

A modern transportation system would:

• connect rural communities to economic opportunities

• reduce congestion and wear on highways

• provide affordable travel options for working families

• create ongoing transportation revenue through ticket sales

• reduce long-term reliance on gas taxes and vehicle fees

  
  

By investing in rail, buses, and highways together, Oregon can build a transportation network that supports economic growth, strengthens communities, and provides a more sustainable funding model for the future.

Supporting a Living Wage That Reflects Local Costs

Economic growth should benefit the people who keep Oregon running. Brittany Jones supports establishing a living minimum wage that reflects the real cost of living in the communities where people live and work.

Oregon is a diverse state with significant differences in housing costs, transportation expenses, and basic living needs between rural communities, small towns, and major cities. A one-size-fits-all wage policy often fails to reflect these differences.

Jones supports a system where living wage standards are determined based on the cost of living within specific regions, such as towns, counties, or districts, taking into account population density and local economic conditions. This approach would allow wages to better reflect the actual costs faced by workers in different parts of the state.

A regional living wage model could help ensure that:

• workers in high-cost areas are able to afford housing and basic necessities

• rural businesses are not burdened by wage policies designed for major urban economies

• wages remain aligned with real economic conditions across Oregon

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When workers earn wages that allow them to meet their basic needs, communities benefit. Families gain stability, local businesses see increased consumer spending, and regional economies become stronger and more resilient.

By aligning wages with the true cost of living across Oregon, the state can support workers while also creating a balanced economic environment for businesses and communities alike.

Fair Taxes That Protect Working Families

Jones believes Oregon’s tax system should be structured around fairness and shared responsibility. While working families struggle with rising costs, many large corporations benefit from Oregon’s economy without contributing proportionally to the communities they operate in.

Her approach focuses on ensuring large corporations pay their fair share, while protecting individuals and families living at or below the poverty level from additional tax burdens.

By shifting the tax structure toward fairness, Oregon can invest in the infrastructure, education, and public services that support long-term economic growth.

Property Tax Reform That Protects Homeowners and Communities

Oregon’s property tax system has been shaped by decades-old policies that no longer reflect the economic realities facing families, seniors, and local communities today. Measures 5 and 50 dramatically changed how property taxes function in Oregon, limiting revenue growth for public services while also creating inequities in how property taxes are distributed.

Brittany Jones believes it is time to modernize Oregon’s property tax system in a way that protects homeowners, prevents displacement, and ensures large corporate property holders contribute fairly to the communities where they operate.

Her approach prioritizes relief for primary residences, particularly for seniors and long-time homeowners who are increasingly at risk of being priced out of their own communities. No Oregonian should lose their home simply because property values around them have increased.

At the same time, Jones supports shifting more of the property tax responsibility onto large commercial and corporate property owners, including major national corporations with significant property holdings in Oregon. These corporations benefit from Oregon’s infrastructure, workforce, and communities, and they should contribute proportionally to maintaining them.

By rebalancing Oregon’s property tax system, the state can:

• help seniors and working families remain in their homes

• reduce displacement in rapidly changing neighborhoods

• provide more stable funding for public schools and local services

• ensure large corporations pay their fair share

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Property tax reform can help Oregon protect homeowners while strengthening the public institutions that support our communities.

Strengthening Local Economies Across Oregon

A healthy state economy depends on strong local economies. Brittany Jones believes economic growth should reach every community in Oregon — from rural towns to urban neighborhoods.

Her approach focuses on supporting small businesses, investing in local job creation, and ensuring that state policies help communities thrive rather than leaving them behind.

When local economies grow, communities gain:

• more stable employment opportunities

• stronger small businesses

• increased local investment

• greater economic resilience

  
  

By empowering communities across the state, Oregon can build a more balanced and durable economy.

A Future Where Prosperity Is Shared

Brittany Jones’ economic vision is rooted in a simple principle: an economy is strongest when it works for everyone.

By revitalizing existing housing, investing in transportation infrastructure, supporting living wages, reforming the tax system, strengthening local economies, and modernizing Oregon’s property tax structure, Oregon can move toward a future where prosperity is shared, and opportunity is accessible to every community.