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The late Gov. Tom McCall famously wanted people to visit Oregon but not stay. It took a while, but his wish came true. In an interview with the Oregon Journalism Project, economist John Topogna described a state whose good looks reliably attracted newcomers, but is lately finding that its mountains and forests don’t rate compared to high housing costs and poorly performing schools (“Hotseat: John Tapogna,” OJP, Sept. 10). Topogna argues that Oregon is stalling out in part because that’s exactly what its leaders wanted: to control growth. But with those pretty forests catching fire, maybe it’s time to stop playing hard to get. One-night stands are no way to build a home. Here’s what our readers had to say:
Mike Thelin, via LinkedIn: “This is a fascinating and sobering interview with John Tapogna that everyone in Oregon should drop what they’re doing and read. The takeaway: Oregon faces generational challenges (and therefore generational opportunities), but we need to get out of our own way and start thinking about the next 50 years rather than clinging to a dying narrative that no longer serves us. From the view on the ground, that doesn’t seem to be happening.
“My biggest takeaway is John’s observations on Oregon’s partisan-agnostic civil libertarian streak, and how that may contribute to bad decisions (but some good ones too). I hadn’t thought of that.
“Could it be a case of old medicine that (in part) makes us sick?”
bigblue2011, via Reddit: “To be or not to be…
“I’d argue that Oregon is always becoming. Oregon—and Portland especially—likes to throw hot coals on itself. I like Tapogna’s observation that we have a bit of a libertarian streak. I also like his observation that we have relic legislation that just isn’t serving us anymore.
“Look, things are on a downswing. They just are. It doesn’t need to be perennial. With the downturn, we are going to complain, and we are going to reform.
“I’m just glad that accountability has become more common. That feels like traction.”
Sam Ruda, via wweek.com: “This was a good read and very timely. Somewhere in the archives in Salem is the ‘Oregon Reset’ white paper that the outgoing Kulongoski administration produced. Maybe it should be dusted off.
“Topagna is correct about the income tax. But he completely overlooked that this is more about the structure of the state income tax: It’s too high at low-income tiers and it’s too high at the high end as currently structured as the top rate also kicks in at relatively low income levels. Just do a side by side of our tax tiers and compare to so-called high tax states of NY, NJ and MA. Oregon is an outlier and not in a good way. Same issue for property tax. Many have very low assessed valuations because that’s what Measure 5, 46 and 50 memorialized…for some. But some pay astronomical levels, also by design. Urbanization is penalized. Just look at property tax levels in Northwest Portland.”
Ollie, via Bluesky: “So wildfire is one of the top threats in the state, but so are the land use regulations that prevent the kind of loose suburban sprawl into forested areas that’s most vulnerable to wildfire. Got it. Totally cohesive.”
PDX Norm, via wweek.com: “I’m a Dem, but single-party rule has strangled accountability and innovation. We’re stuck in the 20th century. Suburban sprawl isn’t our greatest problem, and more transit isn’t the solution. Kids should be in K–12 classrooms every day and for every period. Multifamily housing should be quick and easy to permit. Manufacturing, agriculture—including wood products—should be advocated by the state instead of regulated to death.
“Republicans share the blame for becoming so MAGA and toxic that they’re unable to have a useful influence—moderates like Gov. Tom McCall could never win a primary now. We need top-two primary runoffs so voters can actually compare the two most popular candidates instead of the top extremists of each party’s primary.”
cinder studio, via Reddit: “I just moved back from AZ. Pretty sure Phoenix is growing, and I couldn’t care less. As long as y’all keep the vibes going, I’m sticking around.”
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