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April 17, 2020
News & Notes
Video conferencing with Senator Wyden & Congresswoman Bonamici
   WEA members had the opportunity to hear from U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici this week during two video conferences.
   Both talked about the CARES Act and unemployment.
   Wyden championed the unemployment portion of the CARES Act and said he hoped it would help families be able to pay rent, buy groceries, and take care of other necessities.
   Bonamici shared yesterday how the money for the Paycheck Protection Program had ran out for small business, but she was hearing talk about additional money in a future aid package.
   She also spoke about working with Congressman Peter DeFazio on a future infrastructure package, which would help create jobs.
   Wyden said he was working hard back in D.C. on several issues, including talking with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin about getting money flowing to struggling businesses.
   The two also talked about how reopening of the economy needs to be driven by science and those in healthcare.
   WEA has posted both video conferences on its Facebook page.
Alliance for an Affordable Metro presents its view on homeless measure
   Members from three WEA committees had a virtual meeting with Jenny Dresler and JL Wilson from the Alliance for an Affordable Metro.
   The two provided an opposing view point to Metro's May ballot measure to fund services for the homeless.
   Both said the measure's timing is poor given the economic hardships businesses are facing under the COVID-19 pandemic.
   Wilson also referred to the measure as tax stacking and said he did not think the ballot measure had been well vetted - he referred to the length of time it took to pass the Corporate Activities Tax in the Oregon Legislature in 2019 compared to this ballot measure.
   The two were asked if the Alliance for Affordable Metro would be launching a campaign against the measure, and Dresler said it would be.
   Last month a group of chambers of commerce approached Metro about postponing the measure, but it was denied.
   To read more about this, see Jim Redden's article in the Portland Tribune .
WEA endorses library levy - this month's column in the Business Tribune
   Despite libraries not being physically open right now, Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) virtually has a number of resources available online.
   This month's WEA column in Pamplin Media's Business Tribune shares the resources WCCLS provides both online during this pandemic emergency, and the ones available when the doors are open again.
   The column also shares WEA's support and endorsement of WCCLS' levy renewal on the May ballot.
   To read the column click here or for a text version, click here .
Golf tournament takes a mulligan & changes date to August 28
   The Westside Golf Scramble is flipping the calendar page and moving to August.
   "It's not easy to make major changes to our fundraiser, but given the unprecedented times we are living in, it's necessary. Our Golf Committee talked and agreed we needed to change the date of the Westside Golf Scramble to Friday, August 28 in hopes this will give us more time to plan and to accommodate the conditions of this COVID-19 emergency," said Teresa Dunham in an email to sponsors yesterday.
   The annual fundraiser equates to about 13 percent of WEA's annual budget and supports the organization's advocacy work, which will be even more important as the economy starts to recover from this pandemic.
   If your company would like to sponsor or participate in this effort, please email Teresa Dunham.
Odds & Ends
  • Washington County is conducting an online open house for the intersection of Farmington Road and River Road. To provide feedback on a red light or a roundabout option, click here.

  • The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis' Josh Lehner shared information on Oregon's share of the federal Payroll Protection Program (PPP) - 18,700 small business in Oregon are approved for a total of $3.8 billion in PPP loans. Click here to read more.

  • The proof is in the poo? Clean Water Services is part of a 12-week study to detect COVID-19 in the wasterwater system. The study is hoping to be able to find hot spots where the virus may be and could narrow it down possibly to a neighborhood or street. Click here to see the story from KGW TV.

  • Finally, WEA misses seeing not only its members but its partners, including the event staff at Embassy Suites in Tigard. Many of them are staying at home right now, but Embassy Suites is still providing some much needed food and other necessities for their colleagues. See the video below for a recent drive thru greeting and distribution.
Events coming up
Mon. 4/20 "The local economy in a COVID-19 world" - a video conference with ECONorthwest's John Tapogna at 3:30 p.m.

Wed. 4/22 WEA Board of Directors virtual meeting

To see more of the WEA calendar, please visit the WEA website .