State program helps Oregon businesses grow exports

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Sales at Lesli Larson’s Eugene business, Archival Clothing, have risen a modest 10 to 15 percent each year since its 2009 founding. But 4,000 miles and an ocean separate Larson from some of her most loyal customers.

Japanese shoppers have flocked to Archival’s line of canvas and twill bags, wool caps and shawl sweaters in recent years…

In April, Larson joined seven Portland companies on a weeklong business expo to Tokyo to promote their companies — a trip she wouldn’t have made without help from an Oregon program seeking to boost exports of locally made goods.

Attending an international trade show typically costs a business $8,000 to $20,000, a price out of reach for some small businesses, said Ryan Frank, a spokesman for Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency….

We Respond & Your Comments

How nice! Business Oregon, AKA“The government,” gave thousands to Lesli so she could go to Japan! But we know who “the government” is – it’s you, us and our neighbors.

Do you own a business? Did “the government” ever pay for you to go to Japan to find new customers?

This program depends on “the government” picking winners like Leslie and leaving losing applicants to pay their own way. And we know how great governments are at picking winners and losers (think Solyndra). “The government” picks winners and losers with all the skill of a fall down drunk at a Vegas sportsbook.

What’s happening here is that “the government” is confiscating money from tax paying businesses which might otherwise spend it on expansion. Worse yet, they’re taking it from businesses that might be Lesli’s competitors and giving it to her! Why is she more deserving than businesses who paid their own way to Japan?

Let us have your thoughts on this.

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