Should Portland focus on promoting local, sustainable businesses or expanding global trade?
What many Portlanders value most about the citys economy is the abundance of small, local businesses. Some even think that small businesses should lead the local economy, and they see the potential for Portlands economy to become self-sustaining, replacing dependence on foreign goods or other imports. One tension point is in thinking about the interconnection of local and global markets, even within the types of small businesses many Portlanders desire to support. Some businesses that appear to have sustainable, local products may also maintain a relationship with the global economy through import/export of goods, products or other practices that reach beyond the local community. What is the extent to which Portland can realistically sustain itself, independent of the national or global economy? There is an opinion expressed by a minority of respondents that the expansion of global trade is absolutely necessary for Portlands future economy to thrive. They see the need for economic grow
