A new statewide survey of more than 1,000 Oregonians delivered a pretty blunt message to Salem: high costs, taxes and permitting red tape are making it tougher for businesses to grow. Respondents outside the Portland metro area zeroed in on workforce shortages and missing infrastructure, while people in and around Portland pointed to housing and cost-of-living pressures as the biggest drag on growth. Governor Tina Kotek has said the feedback will guide her Prosperity Council’s work on job creation and competitiveness.
The input came through an online survey run by the Governor’s Prosperity Council. The Oregon Governor’s Office reports the engagement drew more than 1,000 responses and includes links to the compiled results and listening-session guides. The council is slated to hold five work sessions and deliver final recommendations by June 30, 2026.
Survey results went public on April 7. At a bill-signing event, Kotek responded to the findings and stressed that officials will use the responses to develop specific policy ideas for the council to consider. "We have to be intentional here, to be competitive and grow jobs, grow our economy," she said, according to KATU.
What Oregonians Told The Council
Nearly six in ten survey responses came from outside the Portland metro area. Those respondents most often cited workforce shortages and infrastructure gaps, including broadband and transportation, as key obstacles. Portland-area participants, on the other hand, pointed to housing affordability, rising living costs and regulatory complexity as top barriers to hiring and expansion. "We cannot find enough qualified workers," one respondent wrote, underscoring how staffing shortages are slowing growth, as reported by KATU.
Policy Tie-In: SB 1507
The survey’s strong emphasis on taxes lands at the same time a key bill sits on Kotek’s desk. According to the Oregon Legislature, Senate Bill 1507 would disconnect certain federal tax provisions from Oregon law and adjust related credits and deductions. Official records list SB 1507’s current location as the Governor’s Office, awaiting signature, meaning Kotek’s decision could materially affect how some recent federal tax changes play out in Oregon.
Political Context
Kotek rolled out the Prosperity Roadmap late last year and tapped former Republican state Sen. Tim Knopp as her chief prosperity officer to lead outreach and implementation. OPB reported on the appointment and noted that Kotek wants to improve Oregon’s national business ranking as part of a broader push to make the state more competitive for employers and investors.
What Comes Next
The council will pull together public input across five work sessions and deliver a package of recommendations to the governor by June 30, 2026, according to the Oregon Governor’s Office. Lawmakers, business leaders and local communities will be watching to see whether those proposals quickly translate into policy changes aimed at lowering costs, speeding up permitting and strengthening Oregon’s workforce pipelines.
