One of the biggest problems we face in Oregon is the growing divide between those in the urban and rural areas. And despite all that they might have in common, public policy issues often come up that remind them that they live in completely different worlds. The most recent example of this is IP-13. It’s an initiative petition that’s being…
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In order to truly thrive, an organization needs to have clearly defined goals and objectives in place. Those goals should be agreed upon by the organization’s leaders and employees and be understood by all involved, for the sake of achieving a sense of buy-in. As chair of the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, my duties include getting a sense of…
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Summary of a Draft to Re-Open Clackamas County Combatting CoVid-19 By Tootie Smith May 7, 2020 Download PDF of full report here Combatting CoVid-19 in its tracks and returning society to normal is as important as caring for the people who have contracted the disease. Realizing that government assistance programs will soon extinguish, and a functional economy is integral to…
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The coronavirus and the resulting shutdown continue to have devastating consequences for businesses and workers alike. An economy that had been growing at a healthy pace has literally come to a halt as storefronts remain shuttered worldwide. Job creators are becoming increasingly anxious amid uncertainty as to when they can open their doors again. Some may never be able to.…
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I’ve long admired the pioneer spirit that founded Oregon, as well as the industries that brought people to this region in the first place. And as much as society and the world have changed since then, our natural resource industries are still a critical part of the state’s economy. Even though we’ve seen the advent of technology, tourism and other…
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After years of riding on the coattails of a booming national economy with low unemployment, the State of Oregon is now in a world of hurt. The impact of the coronavirus and resulting forced government closures of business have caused a record number of unemployment claims to be filed. Because Oregon has no sales tax, it is highly reliant on…
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Everyone is aware of the immediate impacts of the coronavirus, with regular news reports on the numbers of infections, deaths, product shortages, closures and restrictions on peoples’ daily activities. But much less obvious are its short and long-term impacts on the economy, businesses, household finances and government budgets. It’s always been my philosophy that government budgets should more closely resemble…
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