Bend -- August 17, 2004

Partial List of Issues Raised by Panelists & Audience Members

- Clusters are important -- 15 other aviation related businesses cluster around Lancair in Bend

- Infrastructure support and economic development dollars (for improvements at airport) helped Lancair

- Access -- flying into Bend takes a long time -- need direct access to Denver

- Good education is key -- Idatech needs engineers (software, chemical) -- companies need to team up with local universities -- we have to have more creative/innovative people

- Need access to cheap land

- Need access to capital -- state needs a fund to attract new entrepreneurs

- Renewable energy -- Oregon should become a leading state for renewable energy -- biomass, hydrogen, solar

- Access is important -- Deschutes Brewery is dependent on trucks -- air transportation is also important

- Education is key -- the education system doesn't need to train employees but it does need to provide good readers, writers, mathematicians, and thinkers

- Beer tax is bad -- only directed at one industry -- has to spend money on lobbyists just to keep from being increased

- Getting glass for brewery is very hard

- Brand Oregon works very well for beer

- Financing for Deschutes Brewery -- Small Business Association required more securities than a regular bank -- USDA spent four months to answer a letter

- Oregon does better because it is a beautiful state with a great environment -- we could also utilize more of our natural resources

- Drug use is a problem in the workplace

- Recruiting managers to Bend is easy because of the quality of life

- Brand Oregon is good but it hurts recruiting every time we have a negative headline (length of school year, etc.)

- Research and development is key

- Finding land for industrial growth is hard

- Healthcare -- premiums are increasing 15-18% per year

- Capital access -- a new company -- MedaAssist -- needs financing that is easy to get from the Small Business Administration -- state support would also be good -- create a statewide fund

- New investment has tax disincentives -- there is only a $3000 tax deduction for capital losses but all capital gains are taxed

- Federal support for renewable energy is needed -- build a renewable energy cluster in Oregon

- Create training programs for new businesses that give them the tools to succeed

View the Initiative Survey Results from Bend & See How They Compare to the Issues Raised Above.

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