| Remarks by Governor Kulongoski |
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| February 21, 2007 |
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Governor's 2007 Marketplace Conference
Thank you Lydia for your introduction. And I thank all of you for taking time to attend this year's Marketplace Conference.
While I'm pleased to be able to host this conference – you, as leaders of minority, women and emerging businesses – are the people who make this conference a success. You represent a cross section of Oregon’s economy – and Oregon’s future, . . .
. . . and you are absolutely critical to my vision of Oregon as a place of opportunity for all our citizens.
I also want to thank the outstanding team of staff and volunteers that organized this year’s Conference.
This Marketplace Conference could not take place without the wonderful sponsors who made it possible. Many are state agencies including: The Oregon Department of Administrative Services, the Oregon Lottery, Worksource Oregon, the Department of Consumer and Business Services, the Department of Human Services, and the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department.
The City of Portland, the Port of Portland, the U.S. Corps of Engineers and many corporations are also partnering with us this year. I thank them all.
You also have a very determined voice in this Governor and my office. When I became Governor, I asked Lydia Muñiz to be a strong and effective advocate for minority, women and emerging small businesses.
Lydia continues to work hard on your behalf – and in fulfilling my commitment to you. Lydia doesn’t have a big staff – although, as this conference proves, the staff she has is first rate.But Lydia does have a very big belief in the importance of small business to Oregon's economy.
It is a belief that I wholeheartedly share.
Throughout my first term as Governor – I said my top priority would be to grow Oregon’s economy and create new jobs. The reason was simple: Everything else on my agenda – from education to public safety to protecting the environment – depended on getting Oregon’s economy back on track.
We've made a lot of progress. Our economy is growing. We've created well over 100,000 jobs. Major technology companies like Google and Genentech are moving here.
But – and I can't emphasize this enough – small businesses make up the majority of Oregon companies.
You're an engine for job creation. An engine for innovation. And – maybe most important – an engine for economic opportunity.
That's why I believe in minority, women and emerging small businesses. I depend on minority, women and emerging small businesses. And I want to work with you to make sure that minority, women and emerging small businesses grow and prosper.
The fact is: Small businesses have unlocked the door to the American Dream for countless women and minorities in Oregon. For minorities and women – you are often the employer of first resort.
So you're not just helping to move our economy forward. You're helping move justice forward too. For that you have my deepest appreciation.
But appreciation is not enough. I know that. You want appreciation and access – and a leveling of the playing field. That is why Lydia is working closely with state agencies to make sure their procurement practices are fair, open, understandable and well publicized.
I take this very seriously. And I expect the same from every state agency.
My message to state agencies is simple and straightforward: We have a responsibility to make sure that our process for contracting with minority and women vendors is proactive.
That means, don't just be available – be helpful.
Don't just abide by the letter of the law – abide by the spirit of the law.
And don't just expect good quality from your small business vendors – expect the best. Because that is what you will get!
We know that most of the new jobs in Oregon will come from businesses that are already here. That means we need to do a better job of understanding and meeting the needs of these businesses.
Many of our programs that directly benefit women and minority owned businesses in contracting have come under legal challenge over the years.
Last Spring ODOT was forced to suspend its federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program (DBE) and go to a policy of setting “aspirational targets.”
But that will not be our only approach. Instead, we are currently conducting a disparity study – a study which the courts have told us must take place before we can engage in specific targeted programs for minority and women businesses.
We expect that this study may take up to a year to complete and in the meantime, we want your involvement in the aspirational target program.
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I understand the importance of small business to Oregon’s economy. That is why I am pleased to add my support to legislation that will increase the contracting amounts from $50,000 to $100,000 for the emerging small business program.
This morning you heard from legislators and the chair of the Governor’s Small Business Council about the importance they place on small business – and the steps, and perhaps legislation, that will come out of this session relating to small businesses.
I will be following these developments closely – as I know you will – with the goal of making sure we continue down the road toward greater opportunity for minority, women and small businesses.
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Let me close by talking a little bit more about the policy choices I’ve made over the last four years – choices that still motivate me today.
My core belief is that if Oregonians have the economic ability to take care of themselves and their families; if they have a family wage job, the ability to own or grow their business, and access to health care; and if they can retire comfortably – then most of our problems will be relatively easy to solve.
This is why, as your Governor, I’ve been growing Oregon’s economy in part by investing in public works projects. When we invest in infrastructure – three very good things happen.
One – we improve our public infrastructure and make it attractive for businesses to relocate here, or stay here.
Two – we improve business opportunities and the economy.
And three – we provide living wage jobs.
That's the theory. And over the last four years – with a lot of help from you – we've proven that the theory works.
But as we invest in public infrastructure, we must facilitate contracting opportunities for minority, women and emerging small business with state government.
I am committed to making sure that happens.
State agencies have heard me say – and I will say it again – we need all businesses.
That means not only large and small – but businesses owned by women and minorities.
The entire business community must participate in government contracting.
The fact is: We are a richer state – and a better government – when all types of businesses engage in entrepreneurial relationships with the state.
Thats why today’s conference – with its mission to improve contracting opportunities by providing information and networking between small business owners, public and private entities – is critical to my economic development agenda.
When you succeed – all of Oregon succeeds.
So I urge you to take full advantage of this conference by networking, attending workshops, and meeting one-on-one with individual agencies.
Thank you for being here – and have a great conference.
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