Westside Economic Alliance

08/24/2026

As Oregon comes to terms with an education system that is getting low marks nationally, Westside Economic Alliance wants to dig a little deeper.

❓ What's broken? Can we fix it?
❓ How do these rankings change how businesses think about coming to - or expanding in - our region and our state?

💥 Join us to hear from the experts and be a part of the conversation: https://bit.ly/WEA_26EdSummit 💥

Thanks to Presenting Sponsor Procedeo!

08/14/2026

As families across the region begin their annual back-to-school rituals, it is hard to ignore the headlines.

Including this one just this week, "Report: Oregon ranks among worst states for public education" (KATU, August 11, 2026)

💡 But, are the headlines telling us the full story? What's really happening in our schools? What are the test scores NOT telling us? And what's the fix?

📅 Join us on August 27 at our 2026 Education Summit, "Beyond the Rankings: Fixing our Education System."

✅ Sign up here: https://bit.ly/WEA_26EdSummit

07/21/2026

In today’s newsletter, our Executive Director, E Mazzara Myers, takes on one of the region’s toughest conversations: the future of data centers in Oregon.

Rather than asking whether data centers should be built, she challenges us to consider how they should be built—and what it would look like to ensure they reflect Oregon values.

That means adhering to the strong environmental standards already in place, creating opportunities for local workers and businesses, engaging communities early in the process, and securing meaningful community benefits that leave a lasting impact.

As demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow, the choice before us is not simply development or no development. If we choose not to participate, those projects will likely move to states with lower environmental standards, weaker worker protections, and fewer opportunities for community input.

So what would it look like for our region—and our state—to become the gold standard for responsible data center development? What if Oregon became the model for balancing innovation, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and community benefit?

That’s the conversation we should be having.

Read the full article here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/What-s-the-path-forward-for-data-centers-.html?soid=1101878351555&aid=BgZ-qht3aFg

Email from Westside Economic Alliance Right sizing for Oregon's needs and values. Tuesday, July 21, 2026 A Thoughtful Path Forward for Data Centers As communities across our region—and our state—debat

06/25/2026

Over the last few years, we have been hearing more and more about Oregon’s school system woes.

💥 We hear about school funding at all-time highs, but then read stories about Oregon’s poor national rankings for student scores.

But there is more to the story. 🚨

Join us on August 27 to hear from three education leaders, Dan Goldman, Travis Reiman, and Andy Saultz, as they break down what they believe underlies these issues.

They will be joined by our moderator, Senator Courtney Neron Misslin, an educator herself, who currently serves on the Senate Interim Committee on Education.

💫 Registration is open: https://bit.ly/WEA_26EdSummit

💡 Don't miss out on this critical and timely conversation.

04/29/2026

💫 Today Westside Economic Alliance hosted a candidate forum for the Washington County Chair's race. Our thanks to KGW-TV and Chief Anchor David Molko for his top-notch moderation. And to Nafisa Fai for Washington County Chair and Pam Treece for Washington County Chair for taking time out of their busy schedules to join us.

✅ Topics ranged from taxes to land use to leadership style. And, while WEA doesn't endorse in candidate campaigns, we work hard to ensure our members have access to the information they need to cast an informed vote.

One place both candidates agree? They are both voting "YES" to support the transportation funding proposal on the May ballot.

👍 Thanks to MACC-TVCTV, we will soon have a recording of the forum to share.

📺 Tune into KGW-TVKGW-TV this evening to catch a quick chat with each of the candidates.

💡 To learn more about the candidates check out their websites:
https://www.nafisaforwashingtoncounty.com/
https://www.pamforwashingtoncounty.com/

📣 A shout out to Perlo Construction for use of your amazing space. And, of course, to our Forum Series sponsor Legacy Health for your years of ongoing support.



NOTE: The third candidate, Jenny Kamprath, was invited but declined the invitation due to scheduling constraints.

04/22/2026

📣 It's not too late to grab your seat!

💥 💥 Next week WEA is hosting one of the most important forums of the year, the Washington County Chair's Candidate Forum.

🚨 The next Washington County Chair will have to lead hard, public conversations about funding for countywide transportation, critical infrastructure, a new Courthouse and growth. Not to mention ensure the county can balance their budget while still meeting the needs of the county's most vulnerable residents. While WEA does not endorse in candidate races, we will do our best to ensure we are providing opportunities to educate and inform our members.

All registered attendees will have the chance to submit questions online which will then be provided to our moderator, KGW-TV Chief Anchor David Molko. 🎤

💫 Take a minute to sign up today. (Lunch is included with your ticket.)

Sign up today: https://bit.ly/WEA_CandidateForum_26


Nafisa Fai for Washington County Chair

Pam Treece for Washington County Chair

Join Westside Economic Alliance for a lunch forum with the candidates for Chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners. David Molko, KGW’s Chief anchor, will moderate a discussion with the candidates.