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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1982)
485-4444 For Reservations -Oregon Electric Station Special BEER & BONES -MONDAY AND TUESDAY MUG OF BEER (under 21 gets Pepsi) BARBECUE BEEF RIBS BAKED POTATO TOSSED GREEN SALAD $495 while they last m OREGON ELECTRIC sT/mmi 5TH & WILLAMETTE • DOWNTOWN EUGENE % BLOCK FROM HIL TON HOTEL IN CORVALLIS VISIT THE CLASS REUNION 777 N W. 9TH ST ATOP THE OLD CANNERY MALL ; El'll] Cultural Forum presents Lawson Fusao Inada author of BEFORE THE WAR: POEnS AS THEY HAPPENED will present A POETRY READING Feb. 5th • 8 p.m. in the EMU Forum Room —- Admission Frcr "MT Fishbowl DELI Featuring new item: MEATBALL SANDWICH $1.20 (Oregon needs new jobs i i i Critics fault local emphasis on wood products industries By Brad Berton Of th* Eitwnrid Editor's note This is the first installment of a five-part Emerald series on the future of Oregon s economy Part two will examine causes of the state s economic Cyclops; why has virtually nothing been done to diversify? Current proposals tor broadening the state's economy will be discussed in part three Barriers to diversification, and actions already begun to overcome them, will be considered in part four And the final segment will attempt to answer the question, “What does all this mean for higher education, and for college students in particular?” "Diversification — it's an easy word to pron ounce.' says University economics professo Mike Grove, "but the state has failed to make it a reality Others agree that Oregon 's economy suffers from a lack of diversity "The aim of economic diversification is to have revenues generated from as many and as diverse businesses as possible,” says Tom Moreland, chairer of the Lane Economic Foundation's board of direc tors The whole nation is in a recession but we are in more of one,' Moreland says, adding that diver sification would help insulate us from deep national recessions ” Grove says that in assessing Oregon's present diversification problem, "one needs to take areas individually because of the different economic factors affecting each area," adding that "it is also very important to consider an economy's export base " HE LIKENED OREGON'S ECONOMY to that of many Third World nations', explaining that it is "too dependent on a single export commodity, and over time the economy has developed around that par ticular export ” "Many areas (of Oregon) have one and only one export base — wood products.” Grove says Mult nomah County's more diversified export base gives a greater stability base to its economy than other areas in Oregon, while Eugene-Sprmgfield is limited but not totally dependent on |ust one export, he adds You can count the manufacturing firms in Lane County, other than wood products, on one hand " says Moreland "We are very poorly diversified Gov Vic Atiyeh agrees with Grove's view of the economic landscape "We all know some areas in Oregon are suffering more distress than others," he told legislators on the opening day of the current special session, "but the overall picture is so un favorable that every county and city in this state has become involved "While unemployment statewide is over 11 per cent, well over the national average of 8 9 percent, in the forest products industry rt is 27 percent. Atiyeh continued, asking the Legislature to declare a statewide economic emergency "The present recession in the wood products industry is not similar to the 1975 recession or any other," says Ed Gage of the state Department of Economic Development This recession, he says will be longer, harder and deeper than others "Diversification will be forced upon us and it's a good thing if we do it," he says, referring especially to the "one-mill" towns and counties The state Employment Division's most recent employment statistics (through November of 1981) reflect the minimal diversification of Oregon's econ omy OF THE 1,175.000 PEOPLE EMPLOYED in the state (excluding proprietors self-employed workers, private household workers and armed forces person nel), 15 percent are in the agriculture industry Among the non-agricultural workers, four out of five work for non-manufacturing firms Non-manufacturing firms include trade (wholesale and retail), service and government or ganizations that do not produce goods to be sold, either in or outside Oregon Graphic by Max DeRung r.miDoni Of all non-agricultural laborers, 64 percent are employed by trade firms, service companies or government Wood and paper production firms employ more than one third of all manufacturing workers, if food processing firms are included, they account for nearly half the manufacturing workers The Oregon Department of Economic Develop ment reports that farm products contributed 3 percent to Oregon's Gross State Product (GSP) in 1980 while manufacturing firms added 23 percent and non-man ufacturing (including government) supplied a lopsid ed 74 percent. Wood and paper products accounted for more than one-third of the manufacturing contribution, while government, trade and services made up more than three-quarters of the non-manufacturing element and 59 percent of the total GSP. excluding agriculture THE EMPLOYMENT DIVISION'S MOST RECENT STATISTICS for Lane County (through June of 1981) show that of the county's 97,000 workers (excluding railroad, church, domestic, and some agricultural workers and insurance agents), less than 2 percent are farm workers and only 20 percent of the non-farm employees are in the manufacturing field The lumber and wood products industry employs 65 percent of the county’s manufacturing workers, while trade, service and government institutions employ 68 percent of all non-agricultural workers. The agricultural contribution to Gross County Product (GCP) is a mere 1 percent, while 39 percent comes from manufacturing firms, and 60 percent from government and non-manufacturing interests Government, trade and services contribute 71 percent of the non-manufacturing segment of GCP, and over 40 percent of total GCP. Statistics also reveal the extent of depression in the lumber industry. Seventy-three of Oregon's 210 lumber mills, 59 of its 210 sawmills and 23 of its 71 plywood plants were not operating in November 1981, and 8300 workers in that industry had been laid off The counties with the highest levels of unemployment (Curry, 21 9 percent; Crook, 20 7; Douglas, 20; Harney, 18 8; Tillamook, 18 7) tend to be heavily dependent on the lumber and wood products industry And since mid-1978 Oregon’s unemployment rate has been consistently above the national average Amazingly enough — considering the above figures — Oregon managed to maintain a favorable balance of trade (exports over imports) of $853 million during 1981 CHINA BLUE RESTAURANT $1.00 Off Hot Shredded Pork with this coupon (offer expires Feb. 4.1982) China Blue 879 E. 13th Ave. 343-2832 Hours Mon thru Fri 11 am-10 pm Sat 5-11 pm Sun 5-10 pm Special: Dimsum-Authentic Brunch Sunday Feb 7 • 10 am-3 pm Ski SALE -50%off OPEN 10-6 • Mon-Thurs 10-9 • Fri & Sat 13th & Lawrence Street—683-1300 • 683-1100 RENNIE’S LANDING Announcing the Rennie’s Landing Great Pinball Giveaway Four weekly High Scores playoff at the end of the month and the winner takes the Pinball Machine “KISS” home!!! Rennie’s Landing » 1214 Kincaid « 687-0600 EMU Cultural Forum presents. an evening wi Leo Kottke ^■br. ~ W ' am 1 » opening with: Chris Tscialas Tuesday, Feb. 9 th EMU Ballroom Tickets: *5.50 UO Studem, *6-50 Genera) Public Avajtabic af KMl Main I>*k Farth River Ketords and Diana s on (Fie Mall Valentine’s dav means heart shaped BALLOONS! Now ottered to you from he Paper at reasonable prices! Single miiar balloon is $2.75, A bunch of 3 is $8.00. A rubber balloon is .65 1 dozen balloons are $7.50 ...and to think we met through an ODE PERSONAL AC/DC THE FILM VlTTVl® E BE ROCK BON ANGUS SCOTT YOUNG «»! ONE ^ WEEK /&K*r Vi , f\\> I HI V\ AI I Ol sot M) li,lhl th.Hi I i if ' West 11th Theatre 808 Seneca Road 7, 9 ft 11 pm Friday 1 '29 thru Thursday 2/4 You must remember this A kiss is just a kiss.A sigh is just a sigh The fundamental things apply As time goes by. And when two lovers woo They still say I love you, On that you can rely. . . Let your sweetheart know the fundamental things still apply with an ODE Heart Throb on Feb. 12. 15 romantic words for S1.50 If placed by 1 p.m. Feb. 11 at ODE, 300 EMU, UO Bookstore or EMU Main Desk
