How does the Port of Portland stack up in local economy?
... as the Port presses on with its years-long quest to expand on West Hayden Island amid push-back from environmentalists, key questions are raised.
After a dismal presentation on the local economy recently, Port of Portland Commissioner Peter Bragdon noted there's been at least one bright spot: trade.
"Let's not mess with something that's going good," he said.
The
Port's marine business is seen as an integral piece of the region's
economy: an engine of growth and jobs, fueled by international trade.
This image is seldom questioned, particularly coming off a year of major
investment that includes completion of the Columbia River dredging
project and the agency's new $291 million headquarters.
But as
the Port presses on with its years-long quest to expand on West Hayden
Island amid push-back from environmentalists, key questions are raised.
How crucial is the Port of Portland to the city's economy, and does it really need to expand?
Not very and probably not, says Joe Cortright, who chaired former Gov. Ted Kulongoski's council of economic advisers.
"I
might be overstating it a bit for effect," he said, "but to me, the
Port is a 19th-century development strategy, not a 21st-century
development strategy.
