OECDD repackaged as ‘Business Oregon’
From our weekly issue dated July 08, 2009
Legislation renaming the Oregon Economic and Community Development Dept. and refocusing its efforts to help existing Oregon businesses retain and create jobs, and build vital infrastructure across the state has been approved by the Legislature.
Upon Gov. Kulongoski signing HB 2152, the department will be renamed the Oregon Business Development Dept., also to be known as “Business Oregon.” Kulongoski proposed the reorganization last year in an Executive Order with the goal of giving the agency a more strategic focus on the needs of existing businesses.
“I recommended the changes so that the new Oregon Business Development Dept. can be even more effective in helping Oregon businesses create and save jobs,” said the governor. “I look forward now to working closely with Business Oregon officials to do just that.”
Business Oregon Director Tim McCabe said that the agency’s strategic aim would focus more intensely on assisting existing Oregon businesses to create and retain jobs for Oregonians.
“The agency has a long, successful history of creating jobs and helping communities across the state,” McCabe said. “Now, more than ever, as we prepare to move out of the current recession, we will help Oregon businesses grow and compete in the 21st century economy.”
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In addition, as part of the agency realignment, the department’s community development activities will be administered separately by a newly formed Infrastructure Finance Authority (IFA). It was established to ensure that the state's infrastructure needs, namely those around safe drinking water and wastewater systems, were better identified and prioritized in order to ensure the best use of the state's limited resources.
IFA will be overseen by members of an independent Infrastructure Finance Authority board appointed by the governor.
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