Leadership Summit: Shaping Oregon's Economic Future
Senator Ron Wyden, Summit Co-Chair
Senator Gordon Smith, Summit Co-Chair
Governor-elect Ted Kulongoski, Summit Co-Chair
Oregon Convention Center
December 9, 2002
Portland, OR

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A 12-step program for Oregon
THE OREGONIAN
12-8-2002

The economic summit set for Monday in Portland is billed as a crucial meeting of the minds of Oregon's business and political leaders. But for the many public officials still in denial about their role in the state's slumping economy, the gathering is more likely to be the equivalent of an intervention.

Some of the beefier business leaders may even have to block the exits after they hand out copies of the new Oregon Business Plan to lawmakers at the meeting. The document, titled "Stepping Up," isn't shy about identifying who must take the big steps if Oregon is going to have a vibrant economy again: It's the state's elected leaders.

The Oregon Business Plan is a powerful rebuttal to those in the Legislature who have spent the past year claiming that all the state really needs to do during this recession is avoid raising taxes, cut services to balance the budget and wait with fingers crossed for the economy to rebound.

There are 12 "initiatives to act on right away" on the second page of the business plan produced by a committee of Oregon businesspeople. At least 10 of the steps are either all or primarily the responsibility of the public sector.

The plan makes clear why Oregon's jobless rate is among the worst in the nation, and why its economic future is in jeopardy: timid, small-minded and shortsighted public leadership.

Many of the big steps that Oregon's economy demands "right away" are things that the Legislature has utterly failed to accomplish over more than a decade: a stable public-finance system, a sustainable public pension plan, a stronger highway and bridge system, significant improvements to K-12 schools and universities.

The state has taken baby steps on other things on the list -- ramping up graduates in engineering and other high-tech fields, updating land-use laws and refocusing economic development. But our political leaders have done nothing on the scale required by Oregon's economic challenges.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden suggested the all-day summit Monday at the Oregon Convention Center. Wyden, Gov.-elect Ted Kulongoski and dozens of Oregon legislators are expected to attend. The event will be a success if Kulongoski and lawmakers come away with a better understanding of Oregon's economy and what they must do in the next year to help it recover and flourish.

The business plan urges Oregon to play to its economic strengths -- its "clusters" of successful businesses in semiconductors, sports apparel and footwear, engineered wood products, creative services, nursery products and recreation vehicle manufacturing.

In a separate significant report, the Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development makes a powerful case for the state to focus much of its efforts on bioscience and technology-based companies. Oregon is one of only four states where high-tech is now the leading employer. What Oregon most needs to attract are the creative people and ideas driving the high-tech industry -- and the venture capital that funds them.

The council's report recommends a modest public investment in high-tech business development -- about $76 million in the next biennium. It also makes a persuasive case for reducing or eliminating Oregon's capital gains tax, and creating narrowly targeted exemptions in the income tax to draw people here with the ideas and the money to create thousands of new high-tech jobs.

None of this is possible without better, more engaged public leadership on economic issues. The Oregon Business Plan clearly lays out the challenges:

Oregon's public finance system is in current crisis and long-term imbalance. Its schools and universities are getting financially weaker at the very time they must be strengthened and improved.

Legal and regulatory gridlock is harming Oregon's ability to use its forest, water and natural resources to benefit both the economy and the environment.

Oregon is losing its traditional cost advantages in energy supply and can no longer take its water supply for granted.

Many communities, including those in the Portland metropolitan area, are running short of land for key industrial development.

These problems require public leadership. The business community is right to lay them at the feet of Kulongoski, the Legislature and local officials, and right to make this demand: Step up.

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