Oregon's Economy: Where We Stand & Where We're Headed

Portland State's Economics department held a public panel discussion on October 9, 2025, considering local, national and world events currently affecting our state. This timely discussion brought together PSU Economics research faculty experts from the region to explore the state’s economic growth, job market, budget and revenue uncertainty, the impact of federal policy and tariffs, healthcare challenges, and the vital role of public institutions and higher education. A crowd of nearly 100 listened and participated in the discussion with insights from economists Jeff Renfro, Peter Huselman, Robert McCullough, Rajiv Sharma, Sheila Martin, Jenny Liu, and Tom Potiowsky, shedding light on both the obstacles and opportunities shaping Oregon’s future.