Oregon Prosperity Council ReportJune 2026 · progressive-disclosure index

Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback

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Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback

Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback -- 308 pages · pp. 92-399

Intro from p. 92

APPENDIX E Submissions & Feedback

Contents

Section PDF pages Description
[doc] Submissions & Feedback — Contents pp. 93-94 This page lists the 47 organizations, companies, individuals, and agencies that submitted feedback to the Oregon Prosperity Council during its consultation process. Submitters span the private sector (Microsoft, Pacific Power), agriculture and food production (Tillamook County Creamery, Oregon Farm Bureau), labor representatives (SEIU), universities, local government, and advocacy groups, arranged chronologically by submission date.
[doc] 01. University of Oregon Institute for Policy Research & Engagement pp. 95-113 The University of Oregon Institute for Policy Research & Engagement advocates for treating economic development as a core Oregon state priority with a coordinated statewide strategy. Despite ranking 9th nationally in innovation, Oregon's decentralized ecosystem has failed to retain businesses—68% of those targeted by out-of-state recruiters relocate or expand elsewhere. The authors propose adapting organizational models from Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, Colorado, and Kentucky to strengthen coordination and outcomes.
[doc] 02. Oregon State Board of Agriculture pp. 114-115 The Oregon State Board of Agriculture supports the Prosperity Roadmap and requests representation on the Council. Agriculture and Food & Beverage sectors support 531,000 jobs and generate $42 billion in annual economic impact but face rising labor costs and regulatory complexity. The Board argues these sectors should be included for economic stability, rural-urban integration, and land-use expertise.
[doc] 03. Oregon Workforce Partnership pp. 116-120 The Oregon Workforce Partnership submits eight recommendations to align Oregon's workforce system with Governor Kotek's Prosperity Roadmap. Proposals include: modernizing Executive Order 13-08, streamlining state governance, aligning TANF employment training with WIOA, building unified performance systems, expanding WorkSource Oregon's data capacity, linking workforce delivery to fast-tracked projects, and creating Regional Industry Councils to consolidate employer engagement across education sectors. Actions are organized into immediate implementation (≤6 months) and 2027 legislative proposals, drawing on best practices from Texas, Florida, Michigan, and Colorado.
[doc] 04. NXTClean Fuels (Governor Tina Kotek support letter) pp. 121-122 Governor Tina Kotek writes to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers supporting the NXTClean Fuels facility at Port Westward in Columbia County. She argues this $3 billion renewable fuels project will generate significant economic benefits—3,000+ construction jobs, 240 permanent positions, and $45+ million annual tax revenue—while displacing 750 million gallons of fossil fuels annually and reducing 7+ million tons of CO₂ emissions. The facility has received state environmental permits; Kotek urges the federal agency to approve it promptly.
[doc] 05. Oregon State University — Prosperity Roadmap Alignment Memo pp. 123-126 Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy advocates leveraging OSU as a strategic partner in implementing the Prosperity Roadmap. OSU, which generated $3.5 billion in economic impact and supported 22,141 jobs in FY2024, offers capabilities in workforce development, research-to-company formation (200+ startups since 2013 with ~$2B invested), sector strategies, regulatory analysis, and rural prosperity through statewide Extension Service. The memo emphasizes existing state-university partnership programs (UIRF, Oregon Metals Initiative, State Programs) should be recognized as part of Oregon's economic development system.
[doc] 06. Oregon Business & Industry — Cover Letter (DHM Voter Survey) p. 127 Oregon Business & Industry submitted a cover letter presenting a statewide voter survey commissioned from DHM Research before the 2026 legislative session. The survey explored voter concerns about taxes, regulations, affordability, and economic competitiveness. OBI advocates for policies that improve Oregon's economic competitiveness and reduce cost pressures, citing findings showing voter concern about the state's direction.
[doc] 07. DHM Research — 2026 Legislative Voter Survey (for OBI) pp. 128-155 DHM Research conducted a 600-voter survey for Oregon Business & Industry in January 2026 on state direction and economic policy preferences. Only 26% believe Oregon heads the right direction, with 73% rating the economy poor. Voters attribute slow growth to high taxes (23%) and excessive regulations (21%). A strong majority (52%) prefer pro-growth deregulation to address budget deficits, versus spending cuts (27%) or tax increases (12%), with consistent cross-party support.
[doc] 08. Pacific Power pp. 156-158 Pacific Power submits a framework for strategic planning and investment in electric energy infrastructure in Oregon. It proposes a Wildfire Fund with liability limitations and standards of care for wildfire mitigation, plus regulatory certainty mechanisms (interim rate adjustments, trackers, multi-year plans, pre-approvals) to reduce regulatory lag and enable capital investment while maintaining customer affordability and reliability protections.
[doc] 09. Westside Economic Alliance (Industrial Land Readiness Workgroup) pp. 159-164 Westside Economic Alliance submitted recommendations to Metro Council from its Industrial Land Readiness Workgroup (Feb-Sept 2025). WEA advocates that Metro's Urban Growth Report methodology fails to account for market realities—much zoned industrial land is unsuitable for actual development due to slope, size, and infrastructure constraints. They recommend: adopting a resolution acknowledging the problem, providing funding for jurisdictional planning, streamlining the UGB expansion process via Title 11 changes, developing a grading/tiering system for land evaluation, adopting forward-looking economic forecasting, and creating an "implementers table" with industry experts to produce a Regional Jobs Strategy by Q4 2026.
[doc] 10. Lois Neistat (Individual / Concerned Oregonians) pp. 165-170 Lois Neistat (Concerned Oregonians) argues Oregon's 40 years of progressive policy have driven economic decline, advocating deregulation, tax cuts (income, capital gains, CAT, estate tax), 10-year PERS reform via matched funding, and education vouchers. The submission also includes supporting analysis from higher education, agriculture, and Southern Oregon perspectives on underfunding, regulatory burdens ($696/acre for pear growers), and economic development through placemaking.
[doc] 11. SEDCOR (email forwarded by Lois Cho, CHO Wines) pp. 171-172 SEDCOR (via Abisha Romano) submitted three case studies of Oregon businesses constrained by regulatory barriers: Chapul Farms blocked by 18-month composting permits for innovative waste-to-feed operation; The Estate Bakery defeated by LUBA standing and agricultural-product classification; hazelnut processor facing multiple separate air-quality permits. SEDCOR also proposes simplifying BOLI prevailing-wage rules when projects are both state and federally funded.
[doc] 12. Lois Cho, CHO Wines (Governor's Prosperity Council member) pp. 173-184 Lois Cho, CEO of CHO Wines and Governor's Prosperity Council member, synthesizes stakeholder feedback from wine country, agriculture, and economic development leaders. She argues Oregon's economic challenges stem primarily from fragmentation and weak coordination across state agencies, universities, and regional partners—not lack of assets or programs. Her five main recommendations focus on better utilizing existing structures (Economic Development Organizations, universities, Regional Solutions Department) and improving coordination, transparency, and regulatory predictability. A recurring theme: Oregon needs stronger alignment and execution of existing initiatives, with particular emphasis on workforce development, land-use regulatory clarity, and statewide marketing coordination.
[doc] 13. Portland Metro Chamber — 2026 State Legislative Action Plan pp. 185-191 The Portland Metro Chamber advocates for targeted state investments supporting Portland's economy, which they argue contributes a 56% per-capita tax-revenue premium to the state. Priority requests include support for professional sports and arts franchises (including Moda Center renovation via SB 1501), circular economy initiatives (HB 4086), workforce and higher-education funding, the Williams & Russell Business Hub (SB 5701), housing production reforms including SDC payment timing changes, critical infrastructure investment, and community livability measures. They oppose bills redirecting Tourism & Lodging Taxes (HB 4134, HB 4148, SB 1562) and support Governor Kotek's Oregon Prosperity Agenda (HB 4084).
[doc] 14. Portland Metro Chamber — 2026 Regional Policy Agenda pp. 192-204 The Portland Metro Chamber submitted its 2026 Regional Policy Agenda, highlighting critical competitiveness challenges: housing production at a halt, cost of living 12% above national average, second-highest personal income tax rate (14.7%), and approximately $1 billion annual taxable income loss. The Chamber endorses all 19 Central City Task Force fiscal reform recommendations and prioritizes five 2026 actions: deciding PCEF revenue allocation, indexing income tax thresholds, reevaluating Preschool for All, instituting tax measure sunsets, and requiring Economic Impact Statements. Other priorities include 6,000+ annual housing units and public safety parity with peer cities.
[doc] 15. Alice Dale (SEIU Labor Consultant) pp. 205-207 Alice Dale, SEIU Labor Consultant, advocates for a "High Road" economic strategy focused on raising per capita income and improving wages for low- and middle-income workers rather than GDP or job counts. She argues that education investment (especially fulfilling Oregon's 40/40/20 vision) and quality of life are the primary economic drivers, while tax incentives are ineffective and wasteful. Dale cites evidence that companies now locate based on workforce quality, not tax breaks, and recommends prioritizing education, minimum wage leadership, and quality-of-life infrastructure over cost-cutting competition.
[doc] 16. Oregon Business Council pp. 208-211 The Oregon Business Council submitted a letter warning that Oregon faces unprecedented population scarcity and economic stagnation. Natural population growth has turned negative, and the state is losing major industrial investments due to land constraints, regulatory complexity, and tax misalignment. The Council warns that traditional economic development tools are insufficient and proposes five structural reforms: institutionalizing a durable growth strategy with governance alignment, reforming land use systems, restoring tax competitiveness, modernizing regulations with measurable targets, and strengthening talent development and education outcomes.
[doc] 17. Portland Seed Fund pp. 212-214 Portland Seed Fund urges Governor Kotek to line-item veto the SB 1507 provision decoupling QSBS from federal tax code, arguing it is poorly researched and unfair tax policy. The fund claims the provision targets fewer than 1,000 Oregonians, overestimates revenue since most venture capital is out-of-state, and will incentivize Oregon entrepreneurs to leave at a time when other states are competing for talent. PSF notes its portfolio returned $150 per dollar of state investment.
[doc] 18. Oregon Tech Entrepreneurs & Investors pp. 215-222 Oregon tech entrepreneurs, investors, and venture leaders oppose SB 1507's elimination of the QSBS exclusion, arguing it will cause far greater tax losses than the Legislative Revenue Office's $19.45M annual projection. They contend that departing entrepreneurs, lost startups, exiting investors, and relocated founders will cost Oregon hundreds of millions in cumulative tax revenue over five years. The letter urges Governor Kotek to veto the bill or issue a public commitment to restore QSBS at a special session.
[doc] 19. Energy Trust of Oregon — Survey Response Memo (Chris Lyons) pp. 223-227 Energy Trust of Oregon, a nonprofit serving 2.4 million utility customers across Oregon and Southwest Washington, advocates for a state-led, funded clean energy workforce development strategy. They cite critical labor shortages in trades like electricians and HVAC specialists—exacerbated in rural areas—and call for state coordination with utilities, community colleges, and employers to scale training programs and ensure job placement. They highlight $12.7 billion in net economic benefits created since 2002 to demonstrate energy efficiency's contribution to Oregon's economic and decarbonization goals.
[doc] 20. Clean and Resilient Economy Contributors pp. 228-240 This group submission advocates formally designating Clean & Resilient Economy as a priority traded-sector platform under Business Oregon. Contributors argue Oregon possesses structural competitive advantages—advanced manufacturing expertise, power resources, research institutions, engineering talent—but lacks coordinated economic architecture. They propose an integrated system connecting eight priority industry clusters, innovation and capital formation, workforce systems, infrastructure, and resilience planning. The submission recommends a four-tier governance model led by an Executive Steering Committee, with support from Industry Cluster Councils, Innovation & Capital Advisory, and Regional Advisory Networks. A 90-day activation plan is outlined to establish formal designation, align stakeholders, and signal market intent.
[doc] 21. Portland Metro Chamber — Tax Reform & Regional Economy Letter pp. 241-244 The Portland Metro Chamber submits a March 31, 2026 letter asserting Oregon faces structural economic crisis, citing regional recession since 2023, poor consumer sentiment, housing constraints, and record office vacancy. The Chamber urges six urgent priorities: tax reform by December 31, 2029 (before SALT deduction relief expires), restore traded-sector competitiveness, unlock housing production, rebuild economic value proposition, modernize regulatory systems, and strengthen talent pipelines. They emphasize Oregon's highest marginal income tax rate and vulnerability to federal tax policy changes.
[doc] 22. Tillamook County Creamery Association pp. 245-253 Tillamook County Creamery Association, an Oregon dairy processor, submits that Oregon faces three critical regulatory barriers: (1) regulatory incoherence across agencies in eastern Oregon's integrated agricultural system; (2) agricultural overtime rules scheduled to drop from 48 hours (2025) to 40 hours (2027), which cap worker hours and increase biosecurity risk; and (3) the Recycling Modernization Act penalizing FDA-mandated food packaging. On workforce, Tillamook identifies a rural livability gap—childcare scarcity and high housing costs—not skills shortage. On economic tools, Oregon's incentives are passive tax-relief programs; the state cannot make real-time competitive custom offers like Illinois's Decatur experience demonstrated.
[doc] 23. Jordan Papé, CEO, The Papé Group (Individual, Eugene) pp. 254-257 Jordan Papé, CEO of The Papé Group, argues that Oregon's substantial natural and economic advantages are undermined by man-made barriers: restrictive land-use regulations, high taxes, underperforming K-12 education, and slow development approvals. He urges a fundamental reorientation toward growth-oriented planning, creation of a Commerce Department, comprehensive tax reform, regulatory streamlining, and K-12 improvement to restore Oregon's investment competitiveness.
[doc] 24. Oregon Business & Industry — Policy Recommendations Memo pp. 258-262 Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) submitted policy recommendations to strengthen Oregon's business climate and restore competitiveness. OBI advocates modernizing regulations (targeting 20% reduction by 2030), avoiding policy outliers, reducing business costs through tax reform (especially CAT modernization), establishing a regulatory 'yes' culture, creating a consolidated Department of Commerce, prioritizing economic development, and implementing sustainable budgeting tied to economic growth. They emphasize that deep systemic problems require executive, legislative, and programmatic action.
[doc] 25. Jacqueline Danos (Individual, Yachats, Oregon) pp. 263-264 Jacqueline Danos, a Yachats resident, urges the Prosperity Council to redefine prosperity beyond GDP and invest in education, local entrepreneurs, and regenerative agriculture rather than large corporations. She advocates maintaining Oregon's land conservation legacy and growing the outdoor economy while ensuring economic benefits remain local.
[doc] 26. Central Oregon LandWatch (Ben Gordon, Executive Director) pp. 265-266 Central Oregon LandWatch (Ben Gordon, Executive Director) urges the Prosperity Council to preserve Oregon's 50+ year land use program as foundational to economic vitality and quality of life. The program controls sprawl, preserves working farms and forests, and addresses affordable housing and wildfire through reforms like the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (finalized December 2025). Agriculture contributes 13% of state GDP ($6.8B annually); Oregon leads in softwood lumber production. Outdoor recreation/tourism generates $16B annually and supports 190,000 jobs. Submission advocates maintaining the land use program's core pillars in forthcoming recommendations.
[doc] 27. Alice Dale (SEIU Labor Consultant) & Robert Camarillo (Oregon State Building & Construction Trades Council) pp. 267-283 Joint submission from SEIU labor consultant Alice Dale and Oregon State Building & Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Robert Camarillo advocating for a 'high road' approach centered on raising per capita income for low- and moderate-income Oregonians through workforce education and sustainable public investment. Argues Oregon's economy outperforms nationally (Portland ranks 10th in prosperity), that minimum wage increases drove strong wage growth (37% for low-wage workers vs. 29% nationally since 2008), and that education is the single most powerful income lever, explaining 70% of per capita income variation across states. Criticizes the Governor's Prosperity Roadmap for omitting AI policy and failing to evaluate business tax expenditure effectiveness.
[doc] 28. Microsoft Corporation (Hana Doubrava, Director, Cascadia) pp. 284-286 Microsoft Corporation expresses strong support for the Oregon Prosperity Roadmap and proposes four recommendations for integrating AI: accelerating research through shared infrastructure and Microsoft Discovery; supporting AI literacy in K-12 schools and teacher professional development; establishing a labor market data dashboard using LinkedIn Economic Graph; and enabling workforce boards and community colleges to deliver AI training with wraparound supports. Microsoft offers specific programs and partnerships to implement each recommendation.
[doc] 29. Energy Trust of Oregon — Survey Form Response pp. 287-291 Energy Trust of Oregon (non-profit serving 2.4M utility customers) advocates for a state-led clean energy workforce development strategy with consistent, long-term funding for training programs, especially in rural areas. They highlight labor shortages in electricians and HVAC trades, apprenticeship bottlenecks limiting worker pipeline growth, and uneven training access. Proposed solutions include embedded solar/efficiency training in community college programs, business incubation support, and coordination among state agencies, utilities, and training providers, citing New York's integrated system as a model.
[doc] 30. Coalition of Oregon Employer and Business Associations (Oregon Employer Coalition) pp. 292-294 The Coalition of Oregon Employer and Business Associations urges the Governor's Prosperity Council to preserve Oregon's workers' compensation system and SAIF Corporation. The coalition argues Oregon's system is a competitive economic asset—ranking 38th nationally for premium costs—and that SAIF's not-for-profit model has enabled stable premiums, strong worker benefits, and broad coverage for high-hazard and public-sector employers.
[doc] 31. Move Oregon Forward — Cover Letter p. 295 Move Oregon Forward, a coalition of transportation and environmental advocacy organizations, submits its report "Smarter Investing in Transportation for a Stronger Oregon Economy" to advocate that transportation policy is economic policy. They recommend Oregon shift from expansion-focused spending to disciplined investment in system maintenance, safety, transit, active transportation, electrification, and efficient land use to strengthen the economy.
[doc] 32. Move Oregon Forward — Report pp. 296-312 Move Oregon Forward advocates for shifting Oregon's transportation investment strategy from traditional road expansion to multimodal transportation, targeted safety improvements, electrification, and grid upgrades. The submission argues that these investments deliver superior economic returns—generating more jobs per dollar, lowering household costs (up to $5,000/year), expanding labor-market access—while strengthening energy resilience by redirecting spending from imported fuel to local workers and utilities.
[doc] 33. Oregon Association of Nurseries pp. 313-320 The Oregon Association of Nurseries (representing a $1.3 billion industry, 74% exported) submitted recommendations to improve state competitiveness: align agricultural labor/overtime standards with neighboring states, comprehensively review Oregon's tax code, eliminate CAT on green goods, reform SB 1507's federal tax disconnect, invest in workforce development through higher education and fully funded high school CTE, support small agricultural businesses through land-use policy, replace Oregon's Climate Protection Program with a market-based alternative, and modernize the Recycling Modernization Act.
[doc] 34. Keith Wilson (Mayor, City of Portland) & Andrew Hoan (Portland Metro Chamber) — Cascadia High-Speed Rail advocates pp. 321-322 Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland, and Andrew Hoan, Portland Metro Chamber President, jointly urge the Oregon Prosperity Council to adopt Cascadia high-speed rail as a cornerstone economic development strategy. They argue it will strengthen Oregon's business climate, create a unified 10-million-person labor market with Seattle and Vancouver BC, attract billions in private development around stations, and generate 200,000 jobs and $355 billion in economic impact.
[doc] 35. Oregon Forest Industries Council pp. 323-331 The Oregon Forest Industries Council submits eight recommendations to the Prosperity Council, urging treatment of forest products as a priority traded sector. OFIC argues the sector sustains 62,300 jobs with above-average wages in rural Oregon, contributes external revenue, and should be strengthened through predictable regulation, respect for the Private Forest Accord, support for mass timber, industrial land protection, active forest management on state and federal lands, and carbon policies that account for wood product lifecycle benefits.
[doc] 36. Oregon Winegrowers Association pp. 332-335 The Oregon Winegrowers Association urges the Prosperity Council to actively promote the wine industry as an economic driver ($8.5B annual impact) while addressing cumulative cost pressures from taxes, regulations, and workforce challenges. OWA (representing two-thirds of Oregon's wine production) requests revision of anti-alcohol state messaging, reduction of EPR costs, support for agricultural labor, and rural infrastructure investment.
[doc] 37. Oregon Public University Presidents pp. 336-338 The Oregon Public University Presidents submitted a memorandum advocating for increased state funding, formal inclusion in economic development planning, and workforce development partnerships. They argue public universities are essential economic multipliers generating over $10 billion in annual impact and providing critical talent pipelines, but Oregon ranks 46th nationally in per-student appropriations, with students covering two-thirds of costs.
[doc] 38. Oregon State University — President Murthy Email pp. 339-340 Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy urges the Prosperity Council to designate universities as active economic development partners. OSU proposes three priorities: (1) increase public university funding to improve affordability, noting 85% of personal income tax is paid by degree holders and Oregon ranks 46th nationally in state university investment; (2) create workforce-aligned funding for targeted programs and work-based learning incentives; and (3) strengthen research and innovation through annual University Innovation Research Fund support ($10M/year), extension of the University Venture Development Fund tax credit, and startup funding for the Southern Willamette Valley Innovation Corridor ($1M) and Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub ($1M).
[doc] 39. Oregon Public Universities pp. 341-357 Oregon Public Universities submitted this advocacy presentation arguing they deliver on state goals and generate significant economic return: $10 billion annually with 30,000+ employees, a $10 return for every $1 of state investment, and 85% of income taxes from degree-holders. They contend higher education is essential for future workforce (72% of 2031 jobs will require postsecondary education) while highlighting rising costs, particularly operational expenses outpacing inflation and revenue.
[doc] 40. The Pew Charitable Trusts (U.S. Conservation project, Brett Swift) pp. 358-364 The Pew Charitable Trusts (U.S. Conservation project, Brett Swift) submits four recommendations to the Prosperity Council: conduct an independent analysis of Oregon's permitting systems; reinvest in state and local planning capacity, particularly Oregon's Coastal Management Program; align prosperity recommendations with Governor Kotek's climate-focused executive orders; and engage with the Oregon Department of Energy's Natural Climate Solutions workforce program. Pew emphasizes that Oregon's natural and working lands generate $42+ billion annually in food and fiber production and support 120,000+ jobs in tourism alone.
[doc] 41. Our Oregon (coalition of ~31 labor/community organizations and individuals, incl. SEIU Oregon, Oregon Labor Federation, OCPP) pp. 365-368 Our Oregon, a coalition of ~31 labor and community organizations and state legislators (including SEIU Oregon, Oregon Labor Federation, Oregon Education Association), submitted a letter opposing the Prosperity Council's draft recommendations. They argue the recommendations prioritize corporate tax cuts and deregulation rather than benefiting working families, pointing to 40 years of failed trickle-down economics. They specifically oppose cutting top marginal income tax rates, streamlining the corporate activities tax that funds schools, reducing regulations by 20%, and proposing a sales tax (rejected 9 times). Instead, they advocate for investments in workforce pipelines, schools, and quality of life, emphasizing that care workers—healthcare, childcare, behavioral health—overwhelmingly women and people of color, should be economic priorities.
[doc] 42. Oregon Semiconductor Industry Coalition pp. 369-371 The Oregon Semiconductor Industry Coalition advocates for six policy priorities to restore competitiveness with leading semiconductor states: reform the Corporate Activity Tax, protect emissions-intensive manufacturing under the Climate Protection Program, streamline Cleaner Air Oregon permitting, address cost-of-living drivers, preserve and expand the Strategic Investment Program and incentives, and scale workforce training. Without modernization, semiconductor investment will migrate out of Oregon.
[doc] 43. Oregon Farm Bureau (Angela Bailey, President) pp. 372-379 The Oregon Farm Bureau (Angela Bailey, President) argues that agriculture is Oregon's underappreciated economic engine—generating $42 billion annually, 692,000 jobs, and 13% of GSP—yet the Prosperity Roadmap overlooks it. While praising the roadmap's commitment to permitting reform and business-friendly policy, the Farm Bureau urges the state to reduce regulatory and tax burdens on agriculture, a non-mobile, multi-generational industry where 69% of farmers operate at a net cash loss. They advocate integrating agriculture into sector strategies, applying FastTrack permitting to ag projects, supporting processing capacity, reforming the CAT, and treating farmland as productive infrastructure.
[doc] 44. Oregon Trails Coalition (Steph Noll) pp. 380-382 The Oregon Trails Coalition, led by Stephanie Noll, urges the Oregon Prosperity Council to invest strategically in outdoor recreation infrastructure and reinstate the vacant Office of Outdoor Recreation (unfilled since April 2023). They advocate for meaningful trail network funding tied to 2027 transportation legislation, citing 2024 national data showing outdoor recreation generated $1.3 trillion in economic impact and 5.2 million jobs. Oregon's 2022 outdoor recreation economy contributed $20.6 billion in economic output and 192,000 jobs. They reference the Great Alleghany Passage Trail—a $80 million investment yielding $121 million in annual economic impact and 1,400 jobs—as a model for Oregon's 15 Signature Trails.
[doc] 45. Building Resilience Coalition pp. 383-392 The Building Resilience Coalition, a statewide coalition of climate, business, labor, and community organizations, urges the Prosperity Council to integrate building electrification, energy efficiency, and community resilience into Oregon's economic development strategy across all three priorities. They frame these as economic policies—not environmental add-ons—that reduce household and business energy costs, create 9,200–16,500 new skilled trades jobs by 2035, and add $2.5 billion annually to GDP by 2050. Key asks: modernize workforce development, prioritize efficiency for low-income and rural communities, and adopt new economic tools like building performance standards and microgrid incentives.
[doc] 46. Wild Salmon Center pp. 393-396 Wild Salmon Center submitted a comment to Oregon's Prosperity Council (June 1, 2026) urging integration of natural resource protection into the state's economic strategy. They argue healthy ecosystems—including forests, water, salmon, and outdoor recreation—are foundational to economic growth. They cite $16B in outdoor recreation spending (2022), $642M in commercial fisheries (2021), and demonstrate that habitat restoration generates significant local jobs and economic activity, calling for alignment with Governor's Executive Order 25-26.
[doc] 47. Tax Fairness Oregon pp. 397-399 Tax Fairness Oregon supports improving Oregon's economy and endorses elevating economic development as an executive priority and implementing a sales tax paired with income-tax reductions while maintaining progressiveness. However, they oppose across-the-board tax cuts that reduce public services, criticize wasteful data-center and foreign-income tax incentives costing hundreds of millions annually, and urge elimination of inefficient incentives before tax cuts, combined with public investment in higher education and infrastructure.

See also