The Portland metro area, which generates over half of Oregon's economic output, is experiencing a decline in business confidence due to concerns about safety, cost, and competitiveness. The Portland Metro Chamber spokesperson, Jon Isaacs, described the city's economic fortunes as "highly alarming" and "extremely alarming". The city's general fund is heavily dependent on personal and business income taxes and has faced a budget deficit several years in a row. New local taxes on businesses rose 82% from 2019 to 2023, driving wealthy people out of town. While downtown foot traffic has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while Multnomah County remains 18,000 jobs short six years after the pandemic, small businesses report repeated break-ins and open-air drug use outside storefronts.