Posted by: Jim Adriance - January 20, 2009 08:50 PM

The County government could encourage all County employees to identify and design volunteer work opportunities in their department. These positions should be written up in a consistent format indicating the tasks, outcomes, time period, and qualifications needed - this would facilitate posting them for potential volunteers to apply for. The program would give people looking for work a structured and substantive public service experience while serving the county and getting to know its needs and programs. People interested in volunteering for the positions should have to apply to participate in the program and would need to be screened by the County to assure that the volunteers have the qualifications needed to do the jobs.

Posted by: jeff cogen - January 20, 2009 09:07 PM

Very interesting idea, Jim. We'll explore it. Thanks for the suggestion.

Posted by: Terry Parker - January 28, 2009 10:02 AM

Five Quick Points

1) One in every ten jobs in the US is tied to the auto industry. Yet, Oregon politicians are continually attacking this industry and driving. Not only are transit and bicycle alternatives not financially self-sustainable (transit fares cover only 20 something percent of the just the operating costs and bicyclists are not taxed to pay for bicycle infrastructure), but these alternatives will never replace the majority of jobs being lost in the auto industry making these same politicians who want to get people out of their cars part of the economic downturn problem, not part of the solution.

2) Oregon’s Governor is continually rhetorical about Oregon energy independence, rejects the concepts of pipelines and other facilities crossing Oregon that would serve other states such as California, and has committed the state to resolving energy demand with wind power and other unproven renewables. Today our oil resources are piped in from Alaska, our natural gas is piped in from Canada and the feed stocks for ethanol arrive by train from the Midwest while the taxpayers subsidize an inferior performing product that takes more energy to produce than is actually derived from the product itself in addition to paying for an ever escalating amount of alternative energy and energy conservation subsidies. Not only is this not financially self-sustainable, but when the hot air stops blowing or the sun is clouded by rain showers, the old reliable sources of energy resources must be kick in as a backup. All these political based tax subsidies along with cap and trade proposals are significantly increasing the costs of energy for both people and business. What is missing from the whole energy discussion are the impacts of job loss in the current energy sector, and potential job loss because businesses, particularly small businesses, can no longer afford to expand due to the high cost of the replacement energy. Again the political spectrum is teetering on creating on job loss. Furthermore, it is hypocritical to receive products that travel through other states, but be unwilling to construct an infrastructure that allows products to flow through Oregon.

3) There is a continual rant to reduce our dependence on foreign oil (and therefore the American jobs that bring foreign oil to us as consumers). One of the common resolutions has been to purchase a foreign brand car. The Governor even wants to import cars from China. If we are truly in a global economy, then there is no difference between foreign oil and foreign brand and built products. If we truly want independence, then the government needs to be promoting only American products thereby keeping the dollars and factory jobs in this country, and should not be offering any subsidies to purchase foreign brand products. Without an industrial base that produces consumer products manufactured by American companies, this country’s economy will continue to decline and fail. Buying American is one of the best ways to preserve American jobs.

4) Much of the stimulus packages that are being offered by the Federal government, the State and the City are all aimed at limited term job creation only in the construction sector. What is the government doing to create long term and career jobs in all the other sectors of the economy, including industrial production jobs that build American brand and made products for consumers?

5) We can not tax ourselves out of a recession!