PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Several Portland business owners are speaking out against the deployment of federal troops to the city, citing concerns that their presence could affect business operations.
“My fear is that the National Guard troops coming here would just be another headwind to economic recovery,” Kristin Van Buskirk, the owner of Woonwinkle in downtown Portland, said. “Certainly, Washington, D.C. saw that. They saw measurable decreases in foot traffic and restaurant reservations, and I would expect it to happen the same way here.”
This comes as the city of Portland has been introducing a number of initiatives to revitalize Portland and bring more life to the downtown area, especially as many businesses continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic…