OEDA uses the grassroots strength of the association and our members to advocate on behalf of the Oregon Business Development Department during the legislative sessions. Economic developers today need to maintain and enhance the economic development tools in order to remain competitive in an increasingly complicated business environment.

Traditionally, Oregon has used lottery proceeds, bonding authority, and other rmechanisms to establish economic development incentives designed to promote job growth and the strengthening of wages. While OEDA will be broadly supportive of many business development and business climate programs and policies, OEDA will focus its proactive legislative activity in arenas where OEDA can be particularly targeted and effective.

OEDA will be supportive and respective of the business advocacy agendas of other organizations such as the Association of Oregon Industries, the Oregon Business Council, the Oregon Business Alliance, and Oregon InC. OEDA's niche will be focused on the specific economic development programs necessary for economic development practitioners to be effective and competitive in their field.

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2012 OEDA Legislative Committee:

Legislative Bill Summary Report

Lists the bills that Tonkon Torp is tracking for OEDA for the 2012 Oregon Legislative Session based on Jack Isselmann's preliminary review of bills released to date by the Oregon Legislature.

[click here to download].

HB 3188

In the 2011 legislative session a bill was passed to require counties to report where/how they spent their video poker funding (directed to economic development by statute) and that information is now accessible at this location.

[click here to download].

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Oregon Economic Development Association
End of Session Report
75th Legislative Assembly - 2011
Prepared by Tonkin Torp LLP
[click here to download PDF]

OEDA’s 2011 Legislative Agenda [click here to download]

Problem: Oregon is missing out on job-creating business recruitment and expansion/retention opportunities because it frequently lacks effective tools to make Oregon competitive against other states and nations. This is part of the reason that Oregon has consistently well-above average rates of unemployment and declining per capita income, which continues to detrimentally impact state General Fund revenues.

Solution: Oregon needs to address barriers to business, streamline permitting, provide technical assistance and strategically tailor, update and expand its economic development incentives to attract and retain high-wage paying industries that will in turn provide more state revenue for critical services. It also must retain core state and local economic development agencies that provide the critical link between business and government.

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