Representatives from the Main Street Alliance of Oregon held a press conference in Salem the state’s capitol, to release a report detailing the findings of a survey of Oregon small businesses, focusing on their experiences with credit and their reactions to one current proposal to support small business and economic growth: the creation of a state bank.

Speaking for the Main Street Alliance of Oregon was Jose Gonzalez, owner of Tu Casa Real Estate, located in Salem. Jose is also president of the Latino Business Alliance, and a leader within the Main Street Alliance of Oregon. He took the opportunity to share his experience with credit, as well as share stories of his commercial clients that are struggling to access capitol to grow their business. Jose also expressed his support for a state bank as a solution to this problem:

“Oregon has a great opportunity to create a solution that will generate small business lending, and create jobs by investing in the local community – a State Bank in Oregon is just the way to make that happen.”

Also in attendance were representative for the Oregonians for a State Bank coalition, of which the Main Street Alliance is a partner. The coalition has been working on a legislative concept to be introduced during the current legislative session. They were encouraged that the results of survey show that there is a need for a bank similar to the State Bank of North Dakota, of which the bill will be modeled after.

Read the full report HERE.