A statistic commonly used to highlight the economic hardship Oregonians bear is that Oregonians on average earn 91 cents to every dollar of average earned income nationwide. But that story is even more dramatic for rural Oregonians, who earn a mere 75 cents on the dollar when compared to personal income nationally. Yet, the Oregon legislature has done nothing significant to begin to change this dire situation, despite the fact that bills have been introduced that could help rural economies.
The few economic stimulus bills that have worked their way through the system are quite limited and will benefit urban areas far more than rural areas. Bills that could have an immediate and direct benefit to rural areas have been essentially ignored, like bills to allow more water withdrawal from the Columbia River, better management of our state forests, or a pilot project to privatize some management functions of our state parks. Instead of moving these important ideas forward, we have seen the persistent movement of ideas which continue to handicap already depressed economies, like increasing marine reserves or establishing additional unnecessary government imposed natural resource protection programs.
Rural Oregon is tired of either being completely ignored by the legislature or told that eco-tourism is the beacon of hope and we should be thrilled with the seasonal minimum wage jobs that have replaced living wage jobs once provided by a thriving renewable natural resource industry.
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I live in rural Oregon and that isn’t even the half of it – every time they raise taxes whether it be income or fuel, the impact is greater here. We HAVE to drive in order to get to urban conveniences that are around the corner and a walk away. In fact, we don’t even HAVE some of those conveniences. They up our taxes and we take home even less than our urban counterparts. Unemployment is still higher than the state average – Jefferson is at 12.3, Crook is at a staggering 15.3 and Deschutes is at a 12.2. This whole area is seeing fewer jobs than last year from the private section – in the hundreds that dramatically impacts an area that can’t afford to have less jobs – we have watched our homeless counts hit numbers I don’t think the area has seen in a long time……..we CAN’T afford the Oregon Legislature’s punitive system! I knew when I moved here what sacrifices I’d have to make but the politicians who ignore the plight of rural Oregon in favor of policies that are targeted at its major centers fail to understand that those same policies do not work in rural areas and when rural areas are subjected to them, it makes life even harder for people who are already barely making it when they are making it.
Karla has this mostly right. I’ll also blame all of us in the valley who don’t think about rural Oregon when we vote.
We in the valley think “rural” Oregon is Hwy 20 or 22 and Bend.
We have everything we need to live and thrive. We have all the seafood we need. The beef, lamd, poultry industries are amazing. Drive thru the Hood River valley, not just I-84, but through the valley. Have you been to Fields, Brookings, Fossil, etc? One of the most beautiful views in the WORLD is the Kieger gorge near the Steens.
EOU is the best education value in the state. Do you know where it’s located?
Have you seen the Applegate valley? Driven to Dufur?
Valley residents get out and see your state! All of it. Spend some money, learn the history because it is your history.
Hart Mountain antelope refuge, check it out.
Oregon is great, because it is all Oregon.
Every been to Mapleton? Do it!!