June 2006 Issue

Oregon Economic Developer

A Monthly Association Newsletter

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE—from Steve Vincent

If economic development is enabling, encouraging, enhancing or improving private investment in Oregon, then OEDA endeavors to help its members make this happen in their communities.

So last year we pledged to bring three professional development forums to members. Last month’s Spring Forum well was attended. Our speaker, Brian Corde, Director of Location Strategies for Mintax, was considered by attendees to perhaps be the best site selector we’ve brought to Oregon.

The Summer Forum on workforce development represents the effort to broaden our focus. For many years we’ve traditionally concentrated on business recruitment. But recent site selector polls indicate workforce to be a leading concern. As economic development professionals, this is now top of mind. Though many of us have maintained partnerships with the workforce community, our interdependency is now critical. So please extend an invitation to your workforce partners to the July event.

Finally, our Back to Business Summit will be unprecedented. We have an amazing line up and are working to firm these commitments up.

We will continue to report the successes of our other leading initiatives for 2006 in this and future newsletters.
In this month’s edition I want to take a moment to recognize Gordon Safley, recently retired from SOREDI.  Gordon has been the relative permanence in the southern Oregon region endowing continuity and expertise to the communities and its stakeholders.  His statewide contributions are of equal proportion.

Personally, his advice and counsel to me has been equal to none.  As my tutor and mentor these past years I’m grateful.  We all have someone in our lives who has made us better at what we do and better as a person.  Gordon has been that someone to me.
Gordon, we’ll all miss you.
As many of you aware, Ron Fox of OECDD started as the new Executive Director at SOREDI on June 1.  Though the employer may have changed, we’re glad you’re still with us.  Your contribution to OEDA has been extraordinary.  We look forward to continuing our work with you.

Special Features

Summer Training Focus: Workforce and Clusters

Increasingly, labor force issues are becoming the paramount concern for existing businesses, economic development professionals, and site selection specialists.  Even in communities that have average-to-high unemployment rates, finding a qualified workforce for existing and potential new businesses is a tremendous challenge.

OEDA has partnered with the Oregon Workforce Partnership to develop and present a one-day training session to address this issue. 

PARTNERS

Economic Development Laws Being Reviewed

The 2005 Oregon Legislative Assembly directed the Oregon Economic and Community Development Commission to review laws related to state economic development. 

The Commission is seeking feedback from OEDA and the economic development practitioners of the State.  Here is your opportunity to participate. 

Renewable Energy Working Group Recommending Incentives

The Oregon Renewable Energy Working Group has established a sub-committee of possible interest to OEDA members.  The committee will review existing incentives and provide recommendations to the Working Group regarding possible economic development incentives directed at the renewable energy sector.

Steve Vincent Appointed to Energy Panel

OEDA President Steve Vincent (and Oregon regional business manager for Avista Utilities, an operating division of Avista Corp., has been appointed by Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman to a two-year term on the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB).

Established by Congress in 1990, STEAB develops recommendations for the U.S. Department of Energy and Congress regarding initiation, design, implementation and evaluation of federal energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.  As a member of the 21-person national board, Vincent will provide advice to the U.S. DOE from both a state and utility perspective on agency funding and program implementation.

PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES 

Tax Bill has Implications for Economic Development

The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) recently announced the passage of economic development benefits in the signed Tax Reconciliation Bill.  Effective December 1, 2006, the capital expenditure limitation on Industrial Development Revenue Bonds will be raised from the current $10 million to $20 million.  

Oregon Enterprise Zone Activity Report Released

Art Fish of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department recently released an Enterprise Zone report summarizing the business development activity within Oregon enterprise zones.

Ann Hanus Becomes OECDD’s Infrastructure Program Manager

Ann Hanus, former director of the Department of State Lands, has been appointed by Governor Kulongoski to operate OECDD’s infrastructure program.  

LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY

Supreme Court Maintains Ability to Offer Business Recruitment Tax Breaks

The Supreme Court threw out a taxpayers lawsuit on May 15 that challenged the widespread practice of states giving tax breaks to manufacturers to build plants within their borders.

The Justices did not decide whether the tax breaks unconstitutionally discriminate in favor of certain businesses.  Instead, the court ruled that tax payers do not have standing in federal court to challenge them in the first place. 

The ruling is a win—but not a final victory—for the manufacturers and state officials who have defended their pro-business tax breaks.  The challengers said they would re-file their lawsuit in the state court in Ohio.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Spring Training Successful: Summer Training Next

OEDA’s Spring Training was held May 17 at the Salem Convention Center.  Brian Corde summarized the trends and strategies with respect to business development incentives to an audience of 50 Oregon economic development professionals.

 Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference July 24-26 in Vancouver, Washington

The 2006 Micro Nano Breakthrough Conference will be held July 24-26 at the Hilton Hotel in Vancouver, Washington.  The event will bring together leaders to focus on the development of Micro and Nano technology for new products.  Attendees will share ideas and findings, build collaborative networks, participate in working groups, exhibit commercial technologies and services, and help set agendas for developing new Micro Products. 

OEDA Members have found this Conference to be of great value in the past, and OEDA recommends this event for communities pursuing Micro and Nano technology businesses. 

 NWCI Event in July in Boise

The Northwest Community Development Institute will hold their training event July 17-21 at the Double Tree Riverside Hotel in Boise, Idaho.  This year’s event will highlight topics including: building effective teams, strategic fundraising, economic impact analysis, building entrepreneurial communities, and business retention and expansion. 

 IEDC Annual Conference in New York City September 17-20

The economic development event of the year, IEDC’s Annual Conference, is scheduled for September 17-20 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New Your City’s Times Square.

 WORKFORCE

Oregon Manufacturing Workforce Strategy Published

The Oregon Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) has completed its report to Governor Kulongoski that sets forth a set of State Workforce Strategies to help support the manufacturing sector in Oregon.  The report was developed by OWIB’s.  OWIB’s committee is comprised of industry labor leaders from the manufacturing sectors of food processing, forest products, high technology, transportation, equipment, and metals.

Governor Pushes Training for Workforce

Governor Kulongoski presented a strategy of developing a skilled and reliable workforce, while upgrading Oregon’s public education system and investing in job training to increase productivity.

Workforce Development Notes Presented

The Oregon Office of Education and Workforce Quality released the Gov’s Notes, an electronic newsletter summarizing workforce development activity in Oregon.