Professor Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts- Amherst
Date:
May 10, 2013 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Professor Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts- Amherst
From our locally-owned stores, to our farmer’s markets and food carts, Portland is a leader in the movement to buy local. It’s cultural, it’s trendy, and it’s smart for our local economies. In our increasingly global economy, many communities are trying to encourage local forms of economic development that could generate more stable employment and help build social capital. These community initiatives aim to develop local economies, sustain local forms, generate more stable employment, and build social capital.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Date:
February 22, 2013 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Congressman Earl Blumenauer
The New Year’s Day Congressional fiscal cliff legislation dealing with the expiring tax provisions, looming sequestration budget cuts, and the debt ceiling was a modest temporary solution to a huge long term challenge. To avert devastating consequences of continued political paralysis and hyper-partisanship, America needs to change how we do business, not just a few budgets and policies. Congressman Blumenauer will explore the circumstances that led to the current state of play and several non-partisan actions to get us back on track.
Chair Jeff Cogen
Date:
February 1, 2013 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Chair Jeff Cogen
To be placed on the waiting list please email Rachel, Program Coordinator.
Multnomah County government has always been the place for essential services to keep everybody in our community safe, healthy and strong. Community needs for critical services continue to rise as residents face unemployment, foreclosures and a tough economy. So how will the county thrive in its mission to help people during tight budget times? And where does the county go from here? In his State of the County address, Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen will outline how innovative and collaborative solutions can address our local needs.
John Russell and Brian Libby
Date:
January 11, 2013 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
John Russell
Brian Libby
Our city gets a lot of attention for our strategic and efficient land-use planning and we are known as one of the greenest and most livable cities in the world. We’ve invested in and revitalized places like the Pearl District and Alberta, and they are highly desirable places to live, shop and eat. Portland is a city that strives for equitable and healthy communities, but are those goals tangible enough to get the work done? What will it take to move forward with projects like the Memorial Coliseum and Centennial Mills, which have been hot topics of discussion for decades? Brian Libby will moderate this program, while John Russell addresses these development issues and provides us with his ideas to keep development moving forward in our city, while keeping Portland’s values intact.
Robert Kuttner
Date:
October 12, 2012 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Robert Kuttner
Most political observers and pollsters say the outcome of the fall elections will hinge on the economy. But what does that mean? How do the unemployment figures, the stock market performance, housing prices and the European debt crisis influence Main Street voters? Do voters on opposite sides of the growing income gap view the economy—and their election choices—differently? To what extent do the voters hold the incumbent responsible for a weak economy, and how are other issues influencing the outcome?
Mark McMullen &Tom Potiowsky
Date:
January 27, 2012 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Mark McMullen, interim director, Office of Economic Analysis
Tom Potiowsky, chair, Department of Economics, Portland State University
As an economic measure, unemployment is everyone's go-to statistic - and with Oregon's unemployment rate finally below 9 percent, there are signs that the economy is looking up. But this rate declined partly because some are giving up the job search. Moreover, the state's economic index just fell for the fourth month in a row - a trend that has, in the past, preceded state recession.
Ted Wheeler, State Treasurer
Date:
September 9, 2011 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Ted Wheeler, State Treasurer
The Oregon State Treasury plays a critical role in securing and enhancing the financial health of the state and its residents. Treasury decisions impact income for schools and public institutions, retirement benefits for public employees, college savings for families and loans for small businesses. With the economic downturn in 2008 and the more recent volatility in the stock market, proper management of state funds is all the more crucial.
Funding Oregon’s Public Services
Date:
May 6, 2011 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Elizabeth Harchenko, former Director of the Oregon Department of Revenue
Oregonians are notoriously anti-sales tax — but at what cost? State services, such as public safety and education, must rely heavily on property taxes and unstable income taxes. With the recent economic downturn, this has required massive service cuts to keep the state budget balanced.
A Premier Issue Forum
Date:
April 8, 2011 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Karla Chambers, co-owner, Stahlbush Island Farms and board member, Federal Rerserve Bank of San Francisco
Growing the Oregon economy will require savvy and creative thinking – and the drive to turn ideas into action. On April 8, Friday Forum speaker Karla Chambers will highlight novel ideas for growing Oregon’s private sector economy, which is also essential to the state’s long-term fiscal health and its ability to provide key public services.
Date:
January 28, 2011 - 12:15pm
Speaker(s):
Jay Clemens, president and CEO, Associated Oregon Industries
Ryan Deckert, president, Oregon Business Association
Sandra McDonough, Portland Business Alliance
Duncan Wyse, president, Oregon Business Council
Oregon’s unemployment rate has been stuck at 10.5 percent or higher since early in the “great recession.” California is the only neighboring state experiencing greater unemployment pain; in Washington and Idaho, unemployment falls below the national average. Furthermore, a recent economic study reveals that the Portland regional economy suffers from lagging personal income and wages, and has fallen behind peer regions like Denver, Minneapolis and Seattle. Many business and community leaders believe private-sector job creation must be the top priority for the region and the state.
