Where did Oregon go wrong? (Portland: sales, public schools, income)

[runnerguy45]

Richmond is a couple hours south of DC yet a much lower cost of living which many firms desire. Richmond's success is due to its location.

Though I have only vacationed in Oregon its quality of life to me is second to none and the folks out there are not going to be bought out. I admire that independent streak.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by jjpop

I'm not intending to be politically correct. They're just my opinions. I admitted I'm no expert in any of this, but I'm certainly NOT a fan of cities/states that commit to long-term giveaways to corporations, because then the corporations don't pay their fair share.

You and I agree much more than we disagree.

Salem Votes this week to give an Apartment Complex a free ride for ten years. And they want to put a high traffic access road through the Merry-go-round parking lot in River Park for said apartment and shopping complex on the old Paper Mill site.

I think the project is great, but they need to come in off Commercial (State doesn't want any new Rail Crossings) and they don't need a free ride. If paying taxes is a deal killer, than Salem doesn't need the deal. Just the very idea that the developers would make such a threat tells me they are not the kind of neighbors or community business we want in Salem..

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

Sorry... I get worked up when a certain poster starts pushing talking point buttons in open forum. We need an Anger Management Forum.

H

I think, at least in this thread, you were the only one getting angry. There is really nothing wrong with comparing Washington and Oregon especially when you're looking at two states that have similar "business friendliness" (Washington #11 and Oregon #14 best states per Forbes), similar party control and political atmosphere, etc.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

... ... comparing Washington and Oregon especially when you're looking at two states that have similar "business friendliness" (Washington #11 and Oregon #14 best states per Forbes), similar party control and political atmosphere, etc.

Not much separation there. Either Washington is also not very business friendly, or Oregon is much friendlier than the Doomsday Hype would have us believe.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Not much separation there. Either Washington is also not very business friendly, or Oregon is much friendlier than the Doomsday Hype would have us believe.

The point I'm making is that it's not about business friendliness because they are the same (i.e. in the Top 15 of most friendly states).

[skiffrace]

Your question implied Oregon had done something wrong. It's a valid comment that the improved quality of life in Oregon is hardly wrong. Many would say it's Oregon that did it right, and Washington is screwing up.

^^^^^
The correct answer.

If anyone thinks WA in general, and Seattle in particular is a better place to live, well, the I-5 north is still open.
You will spend your extra-pay on extra-housing expense, and have a chance to contemplate the wisdom of your move while sitting in Seattle extra-traffic.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by skiffrace

^^^^^
The correct answer.

If anyone thinks WA in general, and Seattle in particular is a better place to live, well, the I-5 north is still open.

Do you apply this to your life? Instead of working to make change in the community you live, just move away? What does that really accomplish? Do you really want everyone who has some criticism at all against Oregon to move away? If Nike has an issue with a state law or a problem in Oregon, should they just move away too?

[skiffrace]

Do you apply this to your life? Instead of working to make change in the community you live, just move away? What does that really accomplish? Do you really want everyone who has some criticism at all against Oregon to move away?

There is a difference between collective and individual decision making.

As far as the individual decision making, the entire US of A was founded by people who decided against "making changes in their communities" (in old Europe), and simply moved away to a new continent.
The eagerness to move away is still alive and well in US today. Most people who post here, including you and I, moved to Portland at some time in the past. We did not stay behind because we deemed our old places unsalvageable.

Now, on to collective decision making.
You started this post by positing that the Seattle and WA are doing better in economic development because they have a few more major US corporations, and then implying that Oregon "did something wrong".

There are 2 fallacious assumptions here:
1. As others pointed out, the somewhat better economic development <> better standard of life. Numerous studies all over the world confirm that. The denizens of Seattle can somewhat easier find a job, and get paid a little better for it. In exchange, they pay more for everything, including housing, and have to put up with living in LA-lite.

2. Seattle has better economy due to pure luck. As others already pointed out, Seattle has deep seawater port, Boeing (sitka spruce + aluminum), and finally, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos happen to live there, not in PDX. There is nothing WA "did better" or OR "did worse", just as we happened to be born to average, middle-class parents, not to Rockefellers.

So, to sum this up: I don't think Oregon is, or has been, doing anything wrong. There is always room for improvement here and there, as always. However, in the most general sense, Oregon is on the right track. The continuous influx of people to the state seems to confirm that.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by skiffrace

^^^^^
The correct answer.

If anyone thinks WA in general, and Seattle in particular is a better place to live, well, the (I-)5 north is still open.
....

Ouch... OR now allows CA people

That is sad!

As ID business development office claims... "OR and WA are our BEST friends !!!" as WA and OR businesses and farmers are forced to leave due to 2 - 3 counties (We_tside) controlling the Vote and regulations that hinder Business strength).

[PNW-type-gal]

We've definitely hit an ideological impasse in this thread, sort of like discussions about Oregon's urban growth boundaries....