Describing a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to secure billions of dollars of federal semiconductor investments — and the resulting living-wage jobs — Governor Tina Kotek’s Deputy Chief of Staff Vince Porter facilitated a public meeting on Thursday, October 10 at the Hillsboro Civic Center. 

The meeting, which was required by Senate Bill 4 (SB4) in coordination with the City of Hillsboro and Washington County, followed Governor Kotek’s announced plans to add 373 acres land near Highway 26 and East of Jackson School Road into the Urban Growth Boundary.

The 373 acres is a subset of the potential 1,700 acres of land adjacent to Hillsboro and made available by SB4 that is eligible and contemplated to be brought into the Portland metro area’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) as part of the Oregon CHIPS Act. 

Community Meeting 

More than 200 people attended the October 10 community meeting in person to provide comments or listen to neighbors and elected leaders speak about the decision to annex land into the UGB, as allowed by SB4.  

Proponents described the 373 acres (and the 1,700 acres made eligible by SB4 and recommended for inclusion by the Oregon Legislature) as essential to securing semiconductor industry investments including new companies, existing campus expansions, and supply chain companies; for landing a national semiconductor technology center in Oregon; and for the associated jobs that would come with these multi-billion-dollar investments.  

The proposed site is considered a prime candidate due to the cluster of existing companies and talented workforce supplying jobs in the semiconductor industry, as well as its proximity to industrial-scaled urban infrastructure. 

“Expanding the semiconductor industry is Oregon’s best chance for equitable economic opportunity and advancing prosperity for all,” said Mayor Steve Callaway. “Without this land, we know that Oregon will not be able to fully seize this generational opportunity.” 

“It’s the next generation, who will have the opportunity to move in and through the middle class, because of bold policy choices like the one we hope is made in the coming months,” said Elizabeth Mazzara Myers, Executive Director of Westside Economic Alliance. “We encourage visionary action today to provide extraordinary opportunities for tomorrow.” 

Opponents of the Governor’s plans to designate the 373 acres object to the use of rural reserves for future economic development, cite the previous use of industrial land for data centers, and argue not enough community input went into the Governor’s decision to adjust the UGB. 

“We are here to call on Governor Tina Kotek to reject the use of her unilateral powers to expand the Urban Growth Boundary to include 373 acres up in Hillsboro,” said Melissa Bustamonte of the Willamette Valley Workers Benefit Council. “We are opposed to policies that make our community unlivable and unaffordable... We know the effects of these policies because we live them, or rather, we survive them.” 

“Why do we want to grow so fast? We don’t really have an employment problem,” said Faun Hosey, a resident of unincorporated Washington County. “I am strongly opposed to this proposal. It’s growth that’s not smart. It’s greedy. It’s too much. It’s too fast. It’s disrespectful. It doesn’t follow a process. The public is pretty much shut out in the 20 days that we have available without being able to study plans or interact with officials.” 

Community Benefits

Prioritized by Hillsboro community members in the Hillsboro 2020 Community Vision and again in the Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan, the work to encourage continued investments in manufacturing and technology are also tied directly to the City revenues that provide community amenities, including: 

• Libraries 

• Fire stations 

• Gordon Faber Sports Complex 

• Hondo Dog Park 

• HiLight Broadband 

• Hidden Creek Community Center 

• Community parks, including the inclusive playground at Hidden Creek Park West, featuring Oro the Friendly Forest Giant 

These amenities are all attributed to the economic strength of the Hillsboro community, as well as the presence of industries such as the semiconductor industry.  

Semiconductor and other high-tech manufacturing industry revenues to the City also directly fund local workforce development programs, including:  

• Portland Community College Future Connect  

• Centro de Prosperidad Economic Empowerment Center 

• QuickStart, a paid 10-day semiconductor technician training program 

• Youth Advance Manufacturing Apprenticeship 

• an Adult Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship program (coming soon)  

The continued investments in the semiconductor industry are intended to support the nation’s long-term security interests through the production of semiconductor chips.  

Oregon has a proud history as the national center of research and development in this industry. As a result, the City of Hillsboro, and its partners throughout Oregon, have a special obligation to step up and support national security and economic prosperity objectives. This commitment is driving the State of Oregon and its coalition of partners to work together to secure future investments in Oregon and in our community to maintain our position of innovation leadership for the next generation.   

Submitting Written Testimony 

The Governor’s Office will continue to accept written testimony for twenty (20) days following the meeting on October 10, 2024. As a result, the deadline for public comment submittal is October 30, 2024, at 5 pm.   

All community members can submit written statements to the Governor’s Office via email at Oregon.CHIPS@oregon.gov or by USPS to 900 Court Street Suite 255  Salem, OR 97301. 

A map of the land is available on the Business Oregon website. 

Previous Articles: 

• Hillsboro Makes a Bid for Federal Workforce Funding  

• Oregon Enters the Hunt for a National Semiconductor Technology Center Designation  

• Intel Announces Plans to Invest $36 Billion in Hillsboro 

• “Seizing Oregon’s Opportunity”: Hillsboro’s Role in Semiconductor Industry Expansion 

• Hillsboro Awarded $1.5 Million to Establish Oregon Semiconductor Center of Innovation Excellence 

• Oregon’s Bold Step to Support the Semiconductor Industry & Secure Federal Funding