The central core of Portland has a well-established history of hardship. Downtown has been ravaged by ongoing homelessness, violence, and the 2020 racial justice demonstrations. Hotel, corporate, and retail vacancies are consistently high. Furthermore, Multnomah County has seen a decline in top earnings due in part to high taxes. As the city projects for the upcoming year, the ensuing lower revenue and negative budget impact will unavoidably put further strain on the public safety and social services organizations tasked with protecting our city. According to the recent story, Portland’s shoplifters frequently avoid punishment, maintaining the city’s reputation as a safe location to steal (Dec. 22), the city’s poor circumstances are primarily self-inflicted. Given that their livelihood has been flagrantly threatened by city policies and incompetence, what rational businessperson would think about launching a new venture in Portland?
Hopefully, articles like this will serve as a wake-up call for our new city leadership to make a drastic change before the city becomes financially incapable of tackling the homelessness, crime, and drug addiction that deter businesses and individuals from ever coming downtown due to the doom loop of declining business viability, high earners leaving, and consequently decreased tax revenue.
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