Two surveys featured by Forbes send mixed signals about Oregon and Oregonians. The magazine places Oregon at 28 in its Top States for Business, up from 31 a year ago. Forbes also reports on a study that ranks the Portland metropolitan region 6th among US metro areas in volunteer rates. So this says we’re a below average state for business, but our major urban area is well above average state for community involvement.

That sounds about right, on both accounts. I did some research earlier this year for an Oregon small business assessment I was writing, and found Oregon consistently ranking in the bottom third or half of all states for quality of business climate. You can find some silver linings here and there in the various studies, but overall our business reputation is not great across the country. Coincidentally, I’ve greatly increased my volunteer hours in the past year, after having sold my share of a business I co-founded. I have quickly come to appreciate what an involved group of citizens we have here in Portland.

I love that Portlanders care about this city and each other as much as they do. I just wish there were more being done here and across the state to lift the success rate of businesses that are started and owned by Oregonians. I am convinced business conditions would improve greatly in this state if we were to take better care of own. Among other things, that means putting an end to expenditures of valuable economic development time and dollars on recruiting businesses from out of state, halting tax incentives to corporations (especially retailers) owned outside of Oregon and investing vastly greater amounts of public dollars in higher education, entrepreneurial training and other programs that emphasize support for new and existing Oregon-owned businesses.

I’m not interested in being seen as the number 1 state for business. Most rankings, including Forbes, tip the scales dramatically in favor of state policies that promote the global traded sector. In this energy-constrained world, we need to find and champion local and regional trade at least as much as international trade. Even if we in Oregon were to thumb our collective nose at Forbes, we have much more we can and should do to build vibrant local economies based on healthy, independent and locally owned businesses.