Introduction BACKGROUND Since the City’s first economic development strategy, “Prosperous Portland,” was developed in 1994, many of the local, national and international economic circumstances and conditions that Portland faces have changed.

Mayor Katz, in her September 2001 speech on economic priorities, noted these changes and directed PDC, in coordination with the Mayor’s Business Roundtable, to create a new economic development strategy for the City. The Mayor appointed a Blue Ribbon Committee to review work done by staff and consultants and to recommend strategies and actions that the City should undertake to address the City’s economic vitality. The recommended strategies and actions will become the basis of a five-year economic development plan for the City managed by PDC.

As part of this process, twelve advisory committees/panels were formed to provide industry and issue specific input to the strategy. These committees included:

GOAL

The goal of the economic development strategy is to:

Facilitate the growth and diversification of business activity that (1) creates jobs, income and wealth, and (2) creates investment that generates municipal revenue to fund the provision of facilities and services that maintain and enhance our quality of life.

Check out some useful business resource links.

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