Major Challenges for our Community

Economy

Our local economy, along with most of the country, has enjoyed the longest expansion ever through most of the last decade. However, there have been signs that the growth is slowing, with a possible recession developing. The recent economic surge did not produced any substantial change in the distribution of income – the rising tide did not lift all boats. The number of people living in poverty did decline; however, it is too early to tell if it is the beginning of a trend and if so, can it sustain an economic downturn? The quality of our workforce, the quality of life in our region, and the entrepreneurial spirit of our business leaders are our greatest resources to confront these challenges.

Education

Our education system must become the best at preparing students to become caring citizens who participate fully in our community. The Oregon Educational Act for the 21^st Century sets standards of student achievement and goals for what we teach our children. Yet we face grave concerns in our community about the funding to achieve this vision. Sustaining adequate and stable funding is essential for local schools to succeed. However, through tax reduction ballot initiatives, Oregonians have shifted school funding to the state general fund (from local property taxes to state income taxes). At this level, school funding has been equalized across the state, which has adversely affected the largest districts in and around the Portland metropolitan region. In addition, families with school-age children are migrating out of Multnomah County, further reducing available school funds. Post-secondary education funding must also be sufficient to provide for the changing skills and research needed in today’s increasingly knowledge-based economy.

Urban Vitality

The livability of our region attracts many new residents who contribute to the richness and diversity of our community. This population growth puts demands on our transportation, energy, housing, water, and other services that are reaching the limits of their capacity. Healthy growth ensures that all residents can live in affordable housing, in caring communities, with efficient transportation and parks and open spaces nearby. We face the challenge of continuing to make difficult decisions to preserve the livability of our community. [commuting or congestion issues?]

Environment

Our region is endowed with a wealth of natural resources – rivers , ocean, clean air, forests, mountains, desert. The city of Portland was the first U.S. city to adopt a carbon dioxide reduction strategy to try and protect and preserve this endowment. Our community is also the first major urban area in the nation directly affected by the Endangered Species Act. The decline in salmon and steelhead populations here, and throughout the Pacific Northwest, is the result of many activities that are part of our daily lives – electricity from dams, forestry, agriculture, roads, industry, and urban development. This is a challenge for all of us to share in solutions to preserve our natural riches.