Re: Oil Train Spotting - Courtesy of the Oregonian
Author: SP5103
Date: 04-01-2014 - 10:36
Actually Oregon is very different depending on what part of the state you live in. Portland and the Willamette Valley is definitely influenced by the bike-riding tree-hugging greenies who like to keep Portland weird. The coast and central area have their own feelings, a combination of long time residents that have never recovered from the timber restrictions and are desperate for good paying jobs, and an influx of green NIMBYs. Southwest Oregon is downwind of the haze that the Northern California "herb farmers" and is slowly succumbing to it. Eastern Oregon had a decent timber industrial base, but that has been largely lost. There is a small amount of remaining industry, heavy ranching and farming, with some transportation and tourism, with government related probably being the largest single employer.
Unfortunately the primarily liberal majority population base in the Portland/Willamette Valley area pretty much defines what the rest of the state does. When there is an election, they will announce which way Multnomah County (Portland area) voted on a statewide issue and generally their aren't enough votes int he rest of the state to override it.
If you deal with the rural counties in Oregon, you find a totally different climate. We are far more conservative, and generally the local governments and populace welcome any kind of industry that offers decent jobs with a reasonable impact on the region.
When I lived in Nevada, they didn't as much environmental or liberal activism, but Clark County (Lost Wages) has more population than the rest of the state, so they generally get whatever they want.
Anyone interested in relocating a business to Oregon, call a rural county's Chamber of Commerce or Economic Development office and you will likely get a warm reception and some assistance.