Summit Puts State Fiscal Challenge in Spotlight

Oregon Leadership Summit, December 5, 2016

Summit Puts State Fiscal Challenge in Spotlight

This year's Summit drew more than eleven hundred participants. The morning plenary session focused tightly on Oregon's projected near and long-term fiscal deficit.  

Patrick Criteser, Business Plan chair, outlined the challenge and the Business Plan's recommended approach for addressing it. The approach focuses on growing the economy, slowing the unsustainable growth of government expenditures, and stabilizing and increasing tax revenue for targeted investments in early learning, high school and college completion, and healthcare.

Business, education, and elected leaders shared their perspectives on the magnitude of the budget challenge and the task of addressing it.  The audience also weighed in.  When asked, those assembled nearly unanimously agreed that the fiscal situation was a "crisis" that needs to be addressed.  Video of these perspectives can be viewed here.

Afternoon breakout sessions covered a range of issues focused on growing the economy and on identifying the targeted investments that will make the biggest difference for improving the lives of Oregon's students and families.  Sessions included transportation infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship, forest management, education, health and health care, job training, and poverty reduction among others.

Moving Forward
Addressing Oregon's fiscal challenges will require all parties to come together to roll up their sleeves and help develop balanced solutions. The Business Plan Steering Committee is committed to working with partners across party and interest group lines to help move Oregon forward.