Government has an increasing role in the development of Portland’s jobs and economy.
Ground was recently broken at the Resource Access Center in Portland, a $46.9 million project that is expected to create 125 jobs.
The construction of the center is just one example of the government’s growing role as an economic booster.
It’s no secret that public spending can produce economic benefits. The Portland Development Commission spends millions of dollars on urban renewal projects every year to encourage private investments in new office, retail and mixed-use projects. And the City Council adopted a new Economic Development Strategy in July that calls for spending millions more to create 10,000 new jobs during the next five years.
But few people understand how large a role government plays in the Portland economy. An April study commissioned by the Portland mayor’s office reveals that public spending in the city limits totaled $9.7 billion in the 2008-2009 fiscal year. The report, prepared by the ECONorthwest consulting firm, counted all direct expenditures by local, regional, state and federal governments in Portland, including payrolls, entitlement payments and construction projects.
Read the full story at the Portland Tribune.
{biztweet}Portland government job creation{/biztweet}
