[Wilsonville] Oregon Restaurant Association President and Chief Executive Officer Michael R. McCallum issued the following statement on the results of the 2006 mid-term elections:

"Oregon Restaurant Association heartily congratulates those candidates who were successful in Tuesday's mid-term elections. We look forward to working with the members of the Legislature on those issues that have a direct impact on the 120,000 employees who work at 9,000 restaurant-and-foodservice locations throughout the state, and the 1.5 million individuals who are restaurant patrons on a typical day in Oregon.

"The restaurant industry is Oregon’s largest private sector employer and the cornerstone of communities across the state. Members of both political parties recognize the importance of sound public policies that will continue to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit of the restaurant industry, 78 percent of which are small businesses, to flourish.

"The Oregon Restaurant Association will aggressively promote and advocate our pro-employee/pro-employer public policy agenda, which is a major component of the Association board's strategic plan. That agenda supports, proactively, legislative initiatives that ensure the restaurant industry continues as the cornerstone of our state’s economy, local communities, and career and employment opportunities.

The restaurant industry’s overall impact on the Oregon’s economy is in excess of $9.7 billion a year, or 7.6 percent of the Gross State Product. Whether a lawmaker has a "D" or a "R" after his or her name, we are confident that consensus can and must be reached to continue and expand the American Dream that is embodied in Oregon’s restaurant industry."

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