Laserfiche WebLink
Mr. Proudfoot said there were many areas of opportunity in the sustainable development sector <br />that could provide the community with better-paying jobs. He supported taking what the <br />community had in place and growing it. <br /> <br />Ms. Rygas believed that incentives were a reasonable approach to support sustainable businesses. <br />Mr. Doppelt agreed. He suggested as an example an eco industrial park with accompanying tax <br />breaks. <br /> <br />Factors that Affect Economic Development <br /> <br /> 4. Business Assistance <br /> <br />Bob Warren of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) was <br />present for the discussion. He distributed copies of a presentation entitled "Refocusing <br />Economic Development" prepared by department director Marty Brantley. The presentation <br />provided information on the department's shift in direction. The department staff had been <br />realigned to emphasize business expansion and recruitment, and the budget had been increased to <br />support those activities. The department was charged to support the growth of the invocation <br />economy by advancing the governor's post-secondary education agenda and to work with all its <br />partners on a technology roadmap and in assessing the needs of the innovation economy. <br /> <br />Mr. Warren encouraged members to visit the department's Web site: www. econ.state.or.us. <br /> <br />Mr. Warren said the department offered assistance in siting, workforce, finance, incentives, small <br />business programs, international trade programs, and economic data. The department worked to <br />streamline regulatory processes, helped fund public infrastructure improvements that supported <br />industrial properties, and helped companies find new sites and expand. The department oversaw <br />a newly established employer's workforce training fund to help employers train their existing <br />workforce. <br /> <br />Mr. Warren discussed the organizational structure of the department, reporting it was divided <br />into several regions, each with a workforce response team charged to work with employers and <br />workforce investment board charged to coordinate training funds. <br /> <br />Mr. Warren discussed the department's business assistance programs, which included brownfield <br />redevelopment funding, business retention funding, revolving loan funds, etc. He emphasized <br />the department tried to provide access to all the programs and agencies needed. He noted the <br />popularity of the department's business development loan fund, which involved local banks. Mr. <br />Warren reported the program created many jobs and the department was seeking to increase the <br />budget for the fund. He said the program was heavily used in Lane County. <br /> <br />Mr. Warren discussed incentives available through the State, which included property tax <br />exemptions for properties in enterprise zones and State tax reductions such as the tax credit <br /> <br />MINUTES--Mayor's Committee on Economic Development March 8, 2004 Page 7 <br /> <br /> <br />