The Portland Metro Chamber's 2026 State of the Economy report shows the Portland metro region lost 8,800 jobs over the past year — more than any U.S. metro area except Milwaukee, Virginia Beach, and Washington DC. Clark County, Washington, across the river, has seen 114% job growth compared to 2020. Multnomah County's job growth remains far below pre-pandemic levels. The Chamber's CEO stated explicitly that Portland's policy choices — the highest business taxes in the US, among the highest personal income taxes — are producing measurable consequences. For city staff overseeing Portland's commercial districts, the job loss figure is the supply-side explanation for why office leasing hit a record low and why district programming mandates need formal revision.

Watch

Whether the City of Portland initiates a formal economic development strategy review specifically addressing commercial district mandate alignment with the structural 'new normal' the Chamber has identified.