My earlier question has been answered. So that’s what Metro does. Good to know.

When a group can't get its crud together... convene another group. This is just an admission that Metro is too compromised to do these things internally. So in addition to paying for Metro, we're going to pay for this "think tank" to give supposedly unbiased advice to Metro. How long until Robert Liberty and the "Portland Way" cabal have completely co-opted this group into parroting exactly what they want to hear?

Hope you all read down to the end of the story, where they're going to come up with "new funding sources" for regional projects. Hold on to your wallets.

"What does the public develop to attract the most private investment?"

So you want to start a business in Portland? Depending on the type of business plan on spending $100,000+ for SDC's and other fees and months getting government permission. If you make it, plan on forking over almost 4% in taxes to the City/County. Sell out after building the business and you'll pay the highest cap. gains taxes in the country.

Tell me again why one would make "private investment" here?

The one thing that attracts public interest, serves all walks of public walk, and encourages business, is the ONE thing that Metro refuses to do.

Build highways.

Highways are universally popular (with the exception of the fringe environmentalism groups which tend to dominate Metro) and cross political parties and divisions. Business interests favor highways as they help get people to/from work, to/from businesses, and freight moved. Democrats like highways because they put people to work for construction and maintenance, they are non-discriminatory (anyone can use and benefit from a highway, even if you ride a bus, ride a bike, or that even household deliveries from the mail to your pizza to your new computer all use that same highway system).

Light rail, unfortunately has failed to live up to their optimistic resolutions. I won't say light rail is a total failure because it does move people, generally to/from work; or the suburban residents who'll ride MAX to a Blazer's game or a Rose Quarter event on a Saturday or to the zoo (these folks often ride MAX only on the weekends, but not during the week when they resort to their cars.) The development surrounding MAX is haphazard and relied on huge tax breaks and other government incentives to get going; there is still many transit-centric lots that are undeveloped. Light rail doesn't deliver a single item of freight, and it has made no dent in our region's traffic congestion. Two-thirds of light rail riders were bus riders, and if forced to would ride the bus.

Unfortunately Metro would rather cuddle up with the developers who'll (for a small price - tax breaks) build near a MAX line, rather than realize that it takes a highway to make an economic dent.

I like the makeup already:

Comm RE Brokers
Developeres
Public Unions
Political Insiders

This has the smell of success writ large up on it.

My guess - They're going to build more junk no one wants to rent like in Lents or along MLK.

My bet is they are planning to build "krap" along the Milwaukie light rail corridor.