August 10, 2010
Dear friend,
For many years, Metro has worked with you to make the Portland metropolitan area a great place. To protect our region in the face of current challenges, however, we must take even greater and more innovative steps forward.
Today, I released a Community Investment Strategy that calls for us to:
invest in safe, livable communities
promote economic development and good jobs
protect our natural areas
reduce inefficiency, foster innovation and demand accountability.
Read the Community Investment Strategy
My recommendations call for cities, counties, service districts, Metro and businesses throughout the region to tackle looming financial gaps and existing inefficiencies that slow progress and increase costs.
I'm also calling for major reforms to outdated state rules to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local investments. For example, reforming the state transportation planning rule; improving coordination of state, local and federal investments in roads, bridges, water systems, parks and other public structures; and creating a strategic investment plan to better leverage taxpayer dollars with private investments.
We need to find innovative and cooperative solutions to the challenges we face. It is imperative that we become more resourceful to achieve our goals. Metro will do its part by convening leaders from the region's businesses, neighborhoods, cities, counties and service districts to pave the way for new and innovative ways to build and maintain the public structures and systems that are fundamental to our prosperity.
You can do your part by adding your voice to this important conversation. Learn more online, attend an open house in September and share your views with the Metro Council.
Find out how to get involved
To make it easy for you to follow our progress, Metro created a new online news service. You can now subscribe to a daily, weekly or monthly digest of Metro news; use an RSS newsreader to get items from Metro's newsfeed; or view Metro news using a web browser.
Visit Metro news
As a region, we all have the ability and responsibility to shape the kinds of communities we want and the economy we need. I look forward to your active participation.
Thanks,
Michael Jordan
Metro Chief Operating Officer
Metro
600 NE Grand Ave.
Portland, OR 97232-2736
503-797-1700
503-797-1804 TDD
503-797-1797 fax