We Need a More Diverse Economy

 I was just graduating from Mountain View High School when our economy last saw this much devastation. Back then, Bend was a sleepy little mill town with a population of 15,000 and a small tourism and skiing industry. When the mills started closing down, we learned what a mistake it is to have a “one horse” economy. With the increasing popularity of the internet, our economy became more diverse, since people could move here and “telecommute” to jobs in other locations. But the telecommuting jobs weren’t enough. Many of the same problems still exist. Look at how many jobs have gone away that were tied to the construction industry. Obviously affected are the contractors and subcontractors, lumber and home improvement stores, mortgage and real estate brokers, title companies, and the like. But think about tourism and all of the related restaurant and service jobs that have also gone away.

 This slow down is a good time to prepare for a more diverse economy by encouraging our local officials to be more business friendly. For the city of Bend, GET JUNIPER RIDGE DONE! This development has the potential to attract an Intel or a Nike or a Microsoft campus (even a 4 year university) that would have family wage jobs and a “bricks and mortar” presence in Central Oregon. Redmond has done a great job with commercial development around the airport, particularly for small businesses that need smaller parcels of land. I believe it’s possible to have these businesses without sacrificing our “Central Oregon” lifestyle. If public and private groups would work together we would come out of this mess stronger and avoid such wild swings in our economy in the future. The stress I see in a lot of people (myself included) is no fun! Let’s learn from this and pledge to never repeat these times again.

 I would like to encourage everyone to attend the COROA annual dinner on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at McMenamins starting at 6:30 PM. This year, in addition to announcing the results of our annual rental survey, we have the privilege of hearing Roger Lee from EDCO (Economic Development of Central Oregon) speak about our local economy and more details of some of the things I covered above, including how many businesses they are currently trying to recruit to the area.  Register early to ensure your seat at this fun and informative once-a-year event. I look forward to seeing you there!

See You Next Month!

Terry Luelling