Portland’s Economy

  • Many are trying to bring folks back to the City Center- click here for more information.

    We know that businesses all over the Portland Metro area, and not just in District 2 are still reeling from the post-pandemic. It is up to us as a community to support these businesses, but it is up to the city and the local neighborhood leaders to work together in improving safety, livability, and economic vitality for all Portlanders. Check out this Op-Ed from James Armstrong - a fellow St Johns business owner and candidate for District 2.

  • Portland has incredible creative capital with the people who live here. If Portland could utilize its empty spaces to support and attract creatives and entrepreneurs, have affordable artist housing - that investment would pay for itself! I was able to work on an arts and economic impact study for Portland and Multnomah County this last year and the data results are staggering. Portland had a minimum of $400 million spent around arts and culture activities this last year.

    I’m confident the actual number was higher, but from people and organizations that participated we saw that over $400 mil was spent, over 4.5 million people attending events. People go where incredible things are happening - and they spend money which in turn provides municipalities with revenue to then reinvest back into the communities.If we can create policies to incentivize minimizing the empty storefronts, add more housing and keep things affordable, the city will thrive again.

  • Connecting: Portland can and should work beyond City limits

    I am a connector and a collaborator.

    I will work to repair and build new partnerships beyond our City limits. Having a robust and healthy relationship with Multnomah County and Metro is key, but so is our relationship within the entire tri-county region. I will also work with our State Legislators, Governor, and Congressional delegation since these policymakers are part of this vibrant Portland ecosystem. This is about supporting, adopting, and enacting good sound policy that benefits our community. It does not matter who comes up with the big idea, it is what we do to implement it together.

    If we want a robust economy, we need to look at wage growth, supporting labor, and adjusting the tax burden on our lower income neighbors. It is not creating more red tape and loop holes to benefit those in power, but to regulate what we do have in an equitable fashion. Raising taxes, creating new bonds, having new ballot measures can all be good to a degree. If we are creating specific stipulations on how the money is spent, and we cannot actually spend that money within that restricted structure, then we have failed. Evolution is necessary to stay progressive.

  • I was one of the first city council candidates that endorsed Participatory Budgeting. The Community Budgeting for All will be on the November ballot. What is it? It’s taking 2% of the city budget and having community input on what that money is used for. Most cities our size and larger already do this.

    Community Budgeting for All- learn more here. While this campaign has been suspended ( May 2024) Laura still fully endorses and supports.

    What is Participatory Budgeting? - Grassroots democracy for all residents 14 and older!

    The kids are doing it in East County. - Look at the early start of PB in the Portland Metro region

    PB Oregon is working to put PB on the ballot this Nov 2024- “Community Budgeting for All” - Why this should matter to you!

    Doing it right in NYC- If NYC can have PB in their Districts, why can’t Portland?

  • In July of 2023, Oregon State’s minimum wage rose in a three tiered strategy for those living in rural, semi-rural and the Portland Metro area. Here in Portland the standard min. wage is now $15.45.

    However, our community is still facing many needs regarding protecting jobs for workers to have good paying jobs to support themselves and their loved ones.

    As your future city council representative I want to lay out pathways for a variety of quality paying jobs - in trades, service industries, entrepreneurial, and creative fields to lift our community up.

    Workers are demanding better pay and working conditions - we saw that with the Portland Teacher’s Strike in the Fall of 2023. During the strike, I was marching with my kid’s teachers daily in North Portland advocating for living wages, safer buildings, and transparent equitable budgeting practices at the district.

    The OHSU nurses union authorized a strike before their contract was finally ratified. The PSFP workers within PPS have just reached a negotiation (Feb 2024) with the district to avoid a strike from school janitorial staff, educational aids, and nutrition service workers.

    We need to ensure that everyone at all levels of a business and organizations are supported, paid a living wage, have benefits, and are valued for the work they do.