Oregon Leadership Summit Kicks Off with Theme of “Thinking Big”

A better and brighter future for jobs in Oregon.  That’s what is on the menu at a big summit going on in Portland today.

  “Thinking Big to Achieve Greater Shared Prosperity,” is the theme of this year’s leadership conference.   There’s one project in particular that Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden is focusing on.  “Port of Coos Bay; I’d like to get them a container facility,” Wyden tells us.  The proposed “Pacific Coast Intermodal Port” would process more than one million shipping containers a year, moving containers onto rail, and in theory, reducing supply chain congestion. Wyden and other leaders visited Coos Bay Saturday to talk about the project that he says has bipartisan support in congress.  And at the leadership summit at the Moda center in Portland, Wyden’s speaking about his insights on industries and opportunities to grow the state’s economy.

Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, and House Speaker Dan Rayfield, will share their priorities  for the  2024 Oregon legislative session.

Governor Tina Kotek plans to talk about the Portland Central City Task Force findings and recommendations. 

Some of conference’s goals that they want the state to achieve by 2030 include, wages growing 1.5% above inflation, increasing the share of people working by 3%, reducing the poverty rate below 8%, and increase college and university enrollment by 13%.