Issue Position: Jobs & Economy

Issue Position

Jobs & Economy
During the 2014 one of the commitments I made was to support small businesses, job creation and the healthy of our economy. Below are the promises I made and how the I am working with my colleagues at the Oregon Legislature to stay true to my promises.

Promises Made:

*Reset of the Minimum Wage to at least $10.10/hour with annual adjustments
*Small business incubation with preference incentives for local development/ownership
*Regional innovation hubs/capacities investments for non-profit/private/public "innovation gardens"
*Targeted micro loans and tailored credits for local small business manufacturing
*Implementation of lifelong education and workforce training opportunities through restructured private/public student assistance programming
*Transformation of public revenue structure and systems in support of sustainable economic growth priorities
Promises Kept:

*SB 1532 sets a 3-Tier Minimum Wage which recognizes regional diversity between the Portland Metro Area, smaller cities and our "frontier" counties;
*SB 1565 is a value-added tax credit for small businesses in rural areas;
*SB 5507 increases resources for career and technical education, workforce learning/training opportunities;
*SB 1589 extends access for loans and credit guarantees from the Credit Enhancement Fund for small businesses;
*HB 4146 increases resources for Travel Oregon tourism efforts;
*SB 1507 is a targeted tax credit for Film and Video as well as other regional industries;
*SB 1583 expands the scope and role of the Office of Small Business Assistance to better assist small businesses in their interactions with local and county agencies; and
*SB 1506 updates and clarifies the property tax exemption on equipment available to grain processors to make it easier to implement and use.

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