Videos

“The number one metropolitan area over the last five years has been Portland, the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area,” according to a recent study by the Economic Innovation Group on new businesses moving to an area.

The big business lobby constantly complains that Oregon’s “business climate” is terrible, but what does the data actually show?

In this episode of Policy for the People, we dig into one of the most common myths about Oregon’s economy: that the state has a bad business climate. Guest economist Joe Cortright explains.

Listen here: https://bit.ly/4tbc4in

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Unions are popular and worker organizing is on the rise in Oregon—but union membership isn’t growing. Why?

In this episode, we break down the surprising gap between strong public support for unions and stagnant unionization rates. We explore the benefits unions provide, the barriers workers face when trying to organize, and what’s driving this disconnect.

We also discuss what policymakers can do to make it easier for workers to form unions and strengthen their voice on the job.

The big business lobby constantly complains that Oregon’s “business climate” is terrible, but what does the data actually show?

In this episode of Policy for the People, we dig into one of the most common myths about Oregon’s economy: that the state has a bad business climate.

Economist Joe Cortright of City Observatory joins the show to break it all down. Drawing on national data and decades of experience, Cortright explains why the claims by the business community about Oregon’s “business climate” don’t hold up — and why Oregon’s economy has actually performed quite well compared to other states.
We discuss:

--What people really mean when they say “business climate”
--Why business leaders consistently complain about it
--How Oregon’s metro areas and the state as a whole stack up nationally
--The role of education, quality of life, and public policy in economic success
--Why popular business rankings can be misleading
--What actually drives long-term prosperity in a state like Oregon

If you want to understand what’s really going on with Oregon’s economy—and what policies actually matter—this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen and subscribe to Policy for the People for more conversations on the policies shaping life in Oregon.