A conversation with David Gomberg, Oregon State Representative for District 10, covering Lincoln County and portions of Polk County and Lane County, and was recorded on Monday, October 26, 2026
Q1 – You represent a coastal district and have a background in small business. How does that shape how you look at the economy here?
David – I ran a small business on the coast for 30 years and learned in Salem that few people there actually owned a cash register. My perspective is different on legislative questions on taxes, policy, and regulations.
Q2 – What’s the state of small business on the coast? Is the blue economy a real opportunity here?
David – Many small businesses struggle because costs are increasing for materials. Finding qualified employees and affordable housing is a challenge. We export wonderful products but our greatest export is talented young people who grow up here but move away for education and opportunity. They often don’t return until they’re ready to retire.
Healthcare is a challenge. The federal government is going to remove many people from the Oregon Health Plan. It will cost hundreds of millions of dollars to provide healthcare to people who currently receive it from the federal government this year but won’t next year. If those good people get sick, they will go to emergency rooms, and those costs will be passed to the rest of us who have insurance.
The blue economy are jobs that are related to the ocean, fishing and tourism, like whale watching. Equally important are the jobs maintaining the boats: welders, diesel mechanics, and electricians. There are new jobs in science, exploring the changes in ocean chemistry, warming, and sea levels. Wave energy produces power from ocean tides, and the only testing site in the U.S. is based off the coast near Newport. These are remarkable new opportunities for which small businesses can provide support. I’m heading a task force to explore the future of the fishing industry, science, innovation, and its ecological and environmental impacts.
Q3 – Coastal businesses depend on seasonal and immigrant workers, housing for employees, and road and bridge funding. What’s the biggest pressure on small businesses here, and what can Salem do about it?
David
We in Salem try to find the money for health coverage, make investments in transitional and sustainable housing, and provide an opportunity to actually buy a home. We need roads to get products to market and bring customers out here. The gasoline tax doesn’t generate enough revenue due to electric and fuel efficient vehicles and our road maintenance costs increase. I’m concerned many costs are going to land on Oregonians, rather than visitors. Oregonians didn’t want to increase the gasoline tax, but they won’t like the alternatives, whether it’s increasing annual registration fees or charging by miles driven. We need road striping, plowing, and clearing landslides so people can get to work, shopping, or school. Those are the critical and difficult questions to look at when the legislature convenes again in January.
Q4
If you’re a small business owner on the coast, what should you be doing right now, and where can you go for help?
David
When other agencies were being reduced, I increased funding for the Small Business Development Center network. It provides free counseling to small businesses on the changing environment, regulations, and marketing tools on the horizon. Many people retiring at the coast have an idea to start a business. How do you structure it, market, and decide how much to charge? A small business development center can help you with that.
We need to talk about the corporate activity tax, .5% that supports our schools. The corporate activity tax has a $1 million exemption, intended to help small businesses, but I’d like to see that increase to $2-$3 million.
The estate tax applies to assets worth more than a million dollars, but many farms and homes in Tillamook County are worth more than that. I’d like to see the threshold increased to up to $5 million.
Let’s Talk Tillamook is an independent community project led by experienced broadcasters and journalists dedicated to providing accurate, factual information and thoughtful conversations for the people of Tillamook County and the Oregon Coast.
Editor’s Note
This Q&A is based on an interview by Shaena Peterson with David Gomberg, Oregon State Representative. Listen to the full interview at:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6nWGCNC7F2Ay4tlYqCeNIL?si=0DbHzmo7TxGm9-1Xk6evLg
YouTube: https://youtu.be/rIS5dJx3XE0
