Commentary: To turn around Oregon, start with the hard conversation
Published 8:21 pm Friday, February 6, 2026
Business owner and nonprofit leader write that all options should be on the table
As a business owner and a children’s nonprofit director, we often disagree on policy approaches, from tax structures to how to spend tax dollars. But we are both Oregonians, and we are unified in our passion to help our state thrive.
Oregon is in a stormy moment. In the past 12 months, our state lost 3,600 jobs, a figure that rises to 12,400 when focusing solely on the Portland metro area. Our productivity lags the national average by 10%. Many Oregonians are choosing to leave, resulting in a staggering net loss of $500 million in income since 2022.
These numbers matter deeply. The lost and shrinking revenue represents dollars that should be funding the programs we all care about and rely on: our schools, health care for all Oregonians, public parks and much more.
Hard times require the honest assessment of tough facts and bold leadership. We applaud Gov. Tina Kotek for initiating work to improve the state’s economic future with the Oregon Prosperity Roadmap and appointing the Oregon Prosperity Council.
In a recent op-ed, Juan Carlos Ordóñez criticized the governor’s approach, including her use of CNBC rankings to benchmark Oregon’s progress. While we appreciate concerns about relying on any single ranking system, the governor showed leadership by starting this critical conversation.
The CNBC ranking is driven primarily by three areas: economy, infrastructure and workforce, which together carry the greatest weight in determining a state’s overall performance. Oregon is struggling in all three measures.
Rather than debate the merits of various rankings, let’s focus on the underlying realities they reveal. We urge leaders to stay focused on the urgency of the moment and demonstrate the discipline to implement the Governor’s call to action which includes prosperity for children and families.
Consider our education crisis: only 40% of Oregon’s third graders are meeting grade-level reading standards. This isn’t just a statistic. These are real people and children, and it’s a preview of our future workforce and economic competitiveness. We can and must do better.
The governor surprised many when she hired former Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp as her chief prosperity officer. We see this bipartisan appointment as exactly the kind of unconventional thinking Oregon needs. We need more of this. Everything should be on the table, including ideas we may individually dislike and, yes, even tax reform.
We need to get out of our dogmatic and partisan lanes and realize our decisions today build or harm tomorrow’s future. The future we envision allows all Oregonians to live meaningful and full lives: supporting their families, sending their kids to quality public schools, accessing childcare, working living-wage jobs and building the thriving communities we all deserve.
Oregon has faced challenges before and emerged stronger. With frank conversations, clear leadership, and a willingness to grapple with new approaches, we can do it again.
This article was originally published by Oregon Capital Chronicle and used with permission. Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom and can be reached at info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.
