Jobs & Economy on UserVoice

Create State Bank of Oregon [updated]

2010-09-08T15:18:01+00:00

Robin said:

I agree that creating a Bank of Oregon would help stabalize our state economy. We wouldn't be at the mercy of the IBS or national banks. It would definitely be a leg up for business as it would keep the money and taxes here in the state. Bradbury is right on this issue. I'm hoping Gov. Kitzhaber shares this view.

Disabled Veteran's Benefits Expandion [updated]

2010-09-08T03:08:02+00:00

Increase the Tax break for SERVICE CONNECTED disabled veterans to reflect their degree of disability. Example: a 40% disabled vet would get a 40% reduction, while a 100% disable vet would get a 100% reduction.

Ed Reiman said:

A good idea .... a well deserved, and proportionate break for vets who have gone in harm's way for us. Moreover, this idea would create extra SPENDING power for that segment of the population.

Disabled Veteran's Benefits Expandion

2010-09-08T03:06:04+00:00

Ed Reiman suggested:
Increase the Tax break for SERVICE CONNECTED disabled veterans to reflect their degree of disability. Example: a 40% disabled vet would get a 40% reduction, while a 100% disable vet would get a 100% reduction.

Target desirable industries and create incentives to start and keep businesses in these fields

2010-09-08T02:57:56+00:00

Camille suggested:
Manufacturing jobs are scarce and dwindling fast as industries migrate overseas to take advantage of cheap labor. Oregon should create incentives for investors to start up or keep local industries which meet key needs such as food, or energy, which are consumed locally and have a transportation advantage, or industries which take advantage of our research and expertise, such as alternative energy, recycled waste markets, distribution grids, green packaging and others which supply and support existing business.

Strengthen Universities for a Knowledge-Based Economy [updated]

2010-09-07T19:27:04+00:00

From Jerry Kissler in Portland: Leading universities are critical to competitiveness in today's knowledge-based economy because they attract the companies that create good jobs and provide the education necessary to get those jobs. Of course, companies do R&D but they tend to underinvest in basic research. Therefore, they tend to locate near leading universities. Also, more Oregonians will want and need to have an excellent college education for the professional, managerial and technical jobs that knowledge-based industries create.

Michael Klasen said:

This is related by my idea "Replacing Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids with highest quality employees" in that there is no current way to match education investment with job demand. My proposal would provide a comprehensive analysis of employment supply and demand so that education choices could be made with more than a hope and prayer that there will be a job waiting when the student graduates. Also, micro segmenting of the skills required to support knowledge work and measuring the demand for each of those skills provides the information knowledge workers need to understand what investment is required in education and what the expected return on that investment is. There are so many possible knowledge jobs out there, but I believe most people do not know they even exist or what they would need to learn in order to become qualified.

state micro-loan fund for small business start-ups [updated]

2010-09-07T18:53:40+00:00

micro-loans have helped many around world to start businesses; rather than depend on banks (ha!) the state provides small loans sufficient to get a new business running (connect borrowers with SBA & other existing services)

Michael Klasen said:

This is related to my idea "Replacing Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids with highest quality employees" in that unemployed people with skills to offer smart businesses should be matched with those businesses. For example, an unemployed accountant could work on a temp basis for a small business and that business could pay for that labor if and when they are profitable. It is simply a loan of labor and expertise instead of money. The difference is that there is plenty of excess labor around but far less excess money.

We need to build a family-friendly economy that creates more part-time and flexible work options. [updated]

2010-09-07T01:32:31+00:00

Many parents and caretakers are struggling to take care of their families while also staying connected to the workforce in a meaningful and sustainable way. Our policies are woefully out of touch with the realities faced by today's families. Therefore, we need to emphasize the creation of more part-time and flexible work options that allow Oregonians the opportunity to care for their families and remain economically secure. We should model flexibility and family-friendly employment policies at the state, county and city levels - and should provide some support to those businesses who are doing it too.

Michael Klasen said:

This is similar to my idea "Replacing Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids with highest quality employees" that is designed to unemployed and underemployed Oregonians to work. Please note the matching technology I describe in the first comment that would make your idea economically feasible. I personally believe unemployment, daycare, health care, education and other government subsidy programs can be made much more friendly, effective, and efficient if they are centered on the concept of a guaranteed 40 hour work week and the every Oregon citizen's right to employment improving opportunity.

Hire unemployed workers in the building trades to weatherize schools and other community buildings [updated]

2010-09-07T01:25:52+00:00

As we work to lower unemployment, we need to create a demand for skilled workers who are idle. For example, there are many unemployed workers in the building trades that need no additional training. They can do commercial insulation and other weatherization work immediately. The next governor can strengthen the economy in many ways: including energy efficiency. Oregonians spend more on energy then K-12, community colleges and universities combined and 85% of those costs leave the state never to return. By hiring unemployed workers in the building industry to weatherize schools and other community buildings, we can effectively decrease unemployment and reduce energy costs to the state at the same time. Improving the energy efficiency of schools and community buildings makes Oregon more sustainable and leaves money “at home” -- money Oregonians can invest in other parts of our economy.

Michael Klasen said:

Enforce Our Current Immigration Laws by Attacking the Problem From Both Ends [updated]

2010-09-07T01:21:47+00:00

Specifically, immediately go after this huge problem by cutting off both the supply and the demand ends of this horrendous waste of state resources and free up 1000's of jobs for legal taxpaying non government dependant Oregonians. Actively and aggressively deport illeal aliens and heavily and aggressively fine (and up to jail) employers caught employing workers with no legal right to work in this state.

Michael Klasen said:

Another method, described in my idea "Replacing Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids with highest quality employees" can help address undocumented labor by subsidizing the ability for unemployed and underemployed Oregonians to work for employers that temporarily need to employ less than minimum wage labor. Employers get the labor they need at the price they can afford, legal Oregon residents that are unemployed and who have not other method to pay for their minimum expenses get the employment assistance they require, and what I call the Oregon Employment Cooperative (OEMCO) would receive some cost recovery for the support it provides unemployed people while they look for better job and education opportunities. The light this system would shine on the need for undocumented labor, which seems like the economic equivalent of a drug dependency, would provide a market mechanism to eliminate the demand for undocumented laborers.

Create a Job Bank [updated]

2010-09-07T01:05:21+00:00

From David Finch in Bend: Have a pool of skills and pool of Jobs that need those skills. I call this the "Barn raising" approach: any community project: say they need carpenter support / windows and cleanup. . In the pool (state of oregon doesn't have to run it) but this non profit would match up 3 volunteers or how many it needs based on the project's needs: I envision this being partnered with Habitat: Loaves and Fishes: and it empowers those who have the skills to be called upon when needed!

Michael Klasen said:

The spirit of this idea is the same as my "Replace Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids and quality employees". The key barrier to such a Job Bank idea is the need to access employee quality in an objective way. I believe my company has solved this technical problem and I would appreciate the opportunitity to explain our solution to the Kitzhaber campaign.

Replace Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids and quality employees [updated]

2010-09-07T00:38:32+00:00

Michael Klasen, PhD said:

The keys to enabling a successful Internet job market that will "end unemployment as we know it" are: (1) A new evaluation technology that accurately rates potential employee quality so highest wage bids in thousands of job skill categories can be matched with highest qualified employees, (2) A new Internet search technology that reviews all opportunities, employment terms, and daily updates to find the best work match for each participant with the flexibility to automatically make adjustments every 24 hours, (3) Providing employees with minimum and perpetual benefits that include a 5 day a week work or well targeted education opportunities and basic health care, (4) Recovering the cost of benefits paid to employees by charging a small premium for the work they do and having employees who graduate to higher paid full time employment repay the program for the benefits they received.
My simulations show this system, that I propose be called the Oregon Employment Cooperative or OEMCO, could provide 100% employment for all capable workers in Oregon for a total operating cost that is less than the current unemployment insurance system. Full employment and lower taxes are possible because EMCO creates value through education and intelligent job matching while recovering the costs of benefits provided. OEMCO contrast starkly with the unemployment system that simply makes payments for a limited time and hopes for a good result. The benefit of employing everyone NOW to do whatever jobs are available NOW is complemented by the clear supply and demand view of the overall job market that will greatly improve the effectiveness of targeted education assistance programs. Considering the fact that many jobs are becoming location free, OEMCO would enable Oregon to benefit from helping Oregon resident knowledge workers find work globally.
In conclusion, OEMCO can be implemented in a matter of months with real measurable benefits for all Oregonians. OEMCO is more fiscally sustainable and comprehensive than Oregon’s current employment support systems. OEMCO is more effective because it is a smarter way for government and private industry to collaborate to facilitate consumer demand and provision of public services. Technology has broken the current job market and OEMCO technological solution for fixing it. Employers are justifiably afraid to pay for the wage and health care burden of full employees when consumer demand is uncertain. On the other side, the job search process is very inefficient as any person who spends 40 hours a week retyping their resume into hundreds of job search sites or any HR person that sorts through a mountain of poorly qualified resumes knows. OEMCO is the solution to these systematic problems and the key to “end unemployment as we know it”.

Replace Unemployment with a daily job market that matches highest wage bids and quality employees

2010-09-06T23:20:58+00:00

taxes [updated]

2010-09-02T06:33:02+00:00

reduce income taxes. We will have the highest in the USA. This will kill jobs long term. Oregon business cannot recruit into this climate. Texas has the most fortune 500 firms in the nation, with no state income tax. oregon has 1!

Matt has ideas said:

doesn't matter how low our taxes are if not everyone is paying into the system! we need to eliminate the property tax and enact a sales tax.. that way no matter who you are and no matter what you buy you are helping the economy.. that way even the people on food stamps get to contribute some of that free money that they are getting back into the system..

Eliminate the state income tax and replace it with a sales tax. Capitalize on those spending money. [updated]

2010-09-01T02:09:53+00:00

Karen Brilliant said:

No one wants additional taxes. Replacing the income tax, which only generates revenue from those gainfully employed, with a sales tax will more equally distribute the tax burden. A sales tax will affect those employed, unemployed, welfare recipients, lower/middle/upper classes, incomes gained illegally, and tourists. It's a better way to go.

Eliminate the state income tax and replace it with a sales tax. Capitalize on those spending money.

2010-09-01T02:01:19+00:00

taxes [updated]

2010-08-31T22:33:11+00:00

Karen Tingey said:

Oregon has very low taxes overall. Geez.

Mentoring from the community [updated]

2010-08-30T02:53:48+00:00

Many people not only lack job skills, they lack behavioral skills required for success. Create a mentorship program matching these people with successful members of the community - not "big" success but basic, hold-a-job, care-for-my-family, show-up-on-time basic success.

T.A Hope Barnhart said:

someone was talking to me about 2 employees she hired who wanted to do well for their kids but they simply did not have the basic work skills: show up on time (show up at all!), dressing appropriately -- minimal work skills that can make the difference between getting ahead in life or remaining at the bottom. mentors should be people who've made it as: assistant managers, small business owners, admin assistants, head cashiers, working moms. not CEOs: real workers who've made a success as a "normal" worker.

Mentoring from the community

2010-08-30T02:40:32+00:00

T.A Hope Barnhart suggested:
Many people not only lack job skills, they lack behavioral skills required for success. Create a mentorship program matching these people with successful members of the community - not "big" success but basic, hold-a-job, care-for-my-family, show-up-on-time basic success.

Create State Bank of Oregon [updated]

2010-08-29T00:58:06+00:00

Concerned Citizen said:

For Oregon to have more control over its economic future, I'd say this is a must. State control of our own economic welfare vs. the foibles and fancy of multinational bankers. Such a bank could support innovative lending such as micro-loans as well.

taxes [updated]

2010-08-26T15:27:58+00:00

cl8on said:

Enact sales tax! I believe we should change our model to the more common "sales tax with low or no income tax" model. Sales tax is more fair to all residents and captures revenue from tourism we currently miss.

Create more opportunities for cities and the state to buy Local products [updated]

2010-08-13T02:36:42+00:00

From Dawn Charles in Salem: As far as our economy/Jobs, Oregon State, Counties, and cities need to set the example and buy Oregon products. If the product doesn't exist, then a new company that produces that product needs to open. This will keep Oregon's people working and dollars in our State. Example All State, City, County Law enforcement & Corrections staff uniforms should be made in Oregon. This would create more jobs and the people working these jobs will spend their money here not in China.

Stephen Saltzman said:

Buying locally is great when the local alternative is competitive in all respects, but -- unlike China -- Oregon's government can't afford to prop up uncompetitive firms. Nor should it let symbolic gestures undermine a relentless push for greater governmental efficiency and accountability.

Similarly, it's counter productive for PERS or other state agencies to mandate that x% of their investment dollars go to Oregon firms. Their investment dollars should be pursuing the highest returns they can get wherever they can get them. Anything else would be a de facto tax on PERS's beneficiaries.

The way to create more - and higher quality -- jobs is to have the state government run as efficiently as possible to minimize the tax burden for any given level of services, invest in dramatically upgrading our K-University education systems so Oregonians can create and/or staff world-beating companies, and breakout of the mentality that causes the state to undermine Oregon's long-term health by creating unsustainable market distortions.