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Taylor Griggs
Taylor Griggs is a news reporter for the Portland Mercury. She is interested in all of your ideas, comments and concerns, particularly those related to transportation, climate, labor, and Portland city government. Send Taylor an email at tgriggs@portlandmercury.com, and find her on Bluesky @taylorgriggs.
Posted inNews
Tax the Rich? Oregon Voters Could Weigh In on First-of-its-Kind Wealth Tax
The Oregon effort, which focuses on those with $30 million or more in assets, comes amid a growing interest nationwide in taxing those in the highest income brackets.
What could Oregon do with an additional $2.7 billion in revenue each year? That’s about how much Portlander Jonathan Tasini says would be generated with a 2 percent wealth tax imposed on Oregon taxpayers with assets at or above $30 million. Now, as the state faces a fiscal crisis affecting everything from public schools to […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Trump Administration Appeals Portland Tear Gas Ban, Oregon’s Republican Legislators Aren’t Showing up for Work, and National Counterterrorism Center Director Resigns Over Iran War
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! Hi everybody. It’s another Tuesday. The sun may or […]
Posted inSpring Arts 2026
Find Your Passion for Graphic Design at Volumes
A library of design materials opens in Portland’s historic J.K. Gill Building this spring.
Volumes isn’t a library where you have to be quiet.
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Weird City Hall Power Dynamics EXPOSED, Elephants Delicatessen Caught Fire, and the Trump Administration Doesn’t Know What It’s Doing in Iran (or Anywhere, for That Matter)
If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Preschool for All Tax Update, Oregon Legislature Looks to Slash Safe Routes to School Funding, and Kristi Noem is OUT
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! It’s going to be chilly (high 40s) and rainy […]
Posted inNews
New Preschool for All Data Challenges Idea That Wealthy People Are Fleeing County
Skeptics have suggested the universal preschool tax was driving high-income earners out of Multnomah County. The latest data doesn’t support that notion.
In the years since 2021, when Multnomah County began collecting its Preschool for All tax, much has been made about the effect the program may be having on county income demographics. County data from 2022 and 2023 showed a decrease in the number of high-income earners paying the tax, prompting some to fear the universal […]
Posted inNews
Initiative to Divert Clean Energy Funds to Cops Moves Ahead Under Constrained Timeline
A judge ruled largely in favor of the police union-backed initiative, but its future remains unclear.
Last week, a Multnomah County judge ruled largely in favor of the Portlanders backing an initiative petition seeking to divert a portion of the city’s clean energy fund to police. But the future of the effort to tap the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) for police hiring remains unclear, with people on both […]
Posted inNews
Oregon’s Wildlife is at Risk. Increasing the State’s Lodging Tax Could Help
A bill to raise Oregon’s lodging tax by 1.25 percent to benefit threatened animal species passed the House and now awaits a Senate vote.
Oregon lawmakers have advanced a bill to boost funding for wildlife conservation efforts and help protect the state’s most imperiled species. House Bill 4134, also known as the 1.25 Percent for Wildlife bill, would increase the state’s lodging tax to 2.75 percent, directing most of the additional revenue to the Oregon Department of Fish and […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Oregon House Republicans Delay Progress in Salem, US DOJ Hid Trump’s Presence in the Epstein Files, and in Today’s Most Shocking (Not) News, Kristi Noem Is a Liar
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! It’s set to be the last chilly, rainy day […]
Posted inNews
Portland City Council Votes To Reshape Its Committee Structure
Councilors determined eight was too many when it comes to their policy committee load. Come the end of March, they’ll be saddled with just five.
Portland’s transition to a new form of government last January brought new practices and procedures for the City Council. Among the largest changes, impacting both the Council and members of the public, was the introduction of eight policy committees. The committees, which considered topics including transportation, climate, finance, homelessness, and public safety, were intended to […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Dan Rayfield Joins Oregon ACLU Case Against Feds, False Spring is Over, and Rev. Jesse Jackson Has Died
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! It’s going to be chilly today, with a high […]