Newport -- August 18, 2004

Partial List of Issues Raised by Panelists & Audience Members

- Regulation -- throughout the business process is onerous -- no one regulation is bad, but cumulative impact of several regulating agencies and several visits is bad

- Add seafood industry to Oregon Business Plan -- both for natural resource support and marketing

- Need better science in the fishing industry

- Regulation is a concern

- Primary and post-secondary education needs to teach the importance of business

- College education needs to be affordable

- Small communities need industrial land

- Regional water planning is important -- work together

- Utilize NOAH research vessel for better fishing science

- Define Oregon Business Plan goal of "quality jobs" more specificaly

- "NIFTE" program for low-income middle schools students gets kids engaged in entrepreneurship

- Lincoln City and the coast is creative -- market this and bring in more artists

- Coastal tourism is hurt by weather reports -- Portland weather reports indicate that coastal highways are bad at the same time that mountain roads are full of snow and that doesn't stop anyone from going to the mountain

- The Newport area should develop a regional business plan

- Need to solve "last mile" issue -- create wireless broadband networks -- cheaper way to solve problem

- Use new Office of Rural Policy to work on regional business plans

- Bottle bill effect grocery industry -- grocers should be able to take a handling fee (1 penny out of the 5 cents) -- create a comprehensive national plan

- There are no software jobs in Lincoln City -- Benton county and the coast are very different

- Do more for signature research than just ONAMI -- there are other areas where Oregon could find a niche that other state aren't pursuing

- Companies that are exporting products around the world need incentives to stay on the coast (Real estate tax credits, investment tax credits) -- also need support from government to research & development

- Transportation infrastructure -- strengthen marine transport -- coastal dredging is important -- federal law restricts dredging

- Healthcare costs are increasing

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

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