Partner organizations lead study mission to Dublin, Belfast 

The Trade Development Alliance and Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce – both Prosperity Partnership partner organizations – will lead a benchmarking and relationship-building visit to Dublin and Belfast May 12-21 to study how Ireland went from developing country to Celtic Tiger.

The Irish economy has reached a point where Forfás, the Irish economic strategy agency, commissioned a study issued on July 7, 2004 entitled "Ahead of the Curve - Ireland's Place in the Global Economy." The study had two central recommendations: 1) noting that the country needs to develop "expertise in international markets to promote sales growth," and 2) Ireland must build "technology and applied research and development of high-value products and services."   Ireland is a great success story but its leadership knows it cannot rely on past success and is actively planning for the future.

Registration remains open but space is limited.  For more information contact Anne-Maria Jacobsen at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce at 206-389-7220.

March 2005

Working groups approve action agendas

Prosperity Partnership identifies six legislative actions as part of Regional Economic Strategy

Almost 100 partners on Board!

Throughout March, five working groups have been busy developing and approving action plans.  Four of the groups have approved their slate of action initiatives, which are listed below, with a link to each group’s business plan at the Prosperity Partnership website. The fifth group, Logistics & International Trade, will discuss and approve a set of action initiatives at their meeting next week. It’s not too late to get involved – the work is really just beginning.  If you are interested in joining a group below, e-mail Richard Berndt.

Aerospace
Action Initiative #1: Legislative Initiative
Action Initiative #2: Small and Medium Aerospace Enterprise Consortium Development
Action Initiative #3: Aggressive Work Force Development Initiative
Action Initiative #4: Centers of Innovation in the Technology of Aerospace (CITAs)

Environment & Alternative Energy
Action Initiative #1: Create Cluster Organization & Increase Advocacy
Action Initiative #2: Enhance Competitiveness of Cluster Through Scoping
Action Initiative #3: Grow Cluster Through Enhanced Local & Regional Demand
Action Initiative #4: Develop Cluster Narrative & Brand
Action Initiative #5: Create Cluster Technologies "Idea Factory"

Information Technology
Action Initiative #1: Sustaining Startup Businesses
Action Initiative #2: Creating an IT Friendly Business Climate: Private Civic Investment Fund, Taxation, Infrastructure, Transportation, The Digital Divide
Action Initiative #3: Broadening R&D: Enhancing R&D efforts in the region
Action Initiative #4: Improving Education: Abilities for Tomorrow’s Careers and Entrepreneurs
Action Initiative #5: Cluster Mapping and Direction: Who Are We and Where Are We Headed?

Life Sciences
Action Initiative #1: Big Picture: A Vision for the Life Sciences Cluster
Action Initiative #2: Mobilization: Vision Enhancement
Action Initiative #3: Cluster Development: Addressing Barriers & Gaps in the Life Sciences Industry
Action Initiative #4: Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture
Action Initiative #5: Education & Training

Logistics & International Trade

The Prosperity Partnership’s five working groups are currently developing action agendas with specific steps to improve our region's competitiveness.  And rather than waiting for the overall regional strategy to be developed this spring, several groups recommended legislative action be taken this session on key issues that will surely be pieces of the regional strategy. 

The Life Sciences group endorsed two key bills currently in the legislature.  The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (SB 5581/HB 1623) would create a $350 million fund to boost life-sciences research in Washington.  The group also endorsed changes in the state ethics laws to make it easier for technology transfer to convert research ideas into successful commercial products (SB 5811/HB 1806).  Both bills will significantly improve our state’s and region’s attractiveness to employers in this economic sector.!

The Aerospace group endorsed two tax measures that would fill gaps in previous aerospace support legislation. Both SB 5864 and HB 1940 would extend the sales and use tax exemption for certain computer equipment used for aerospace preproduction development and the B&O tax credit for aerospace preproduction development to non-manufacturers.  SB 5972 and HB 2111 would simplify the administration of a current B&O tax credit for property taxes paid for property used in aerospace manufacturing. ! Ensuring aerospace employers at all levels of the supply chain have incentives to locate here is essential, and both these bills do that. These tax measures were included in Governor Gregoire's budget proposal released on March 21.

The Environment and Alternative Energy group is supporting legislation to help grow this emerging industry in Washington, identifying passage of SB 5101 and SB 5111 as its highest priority legislative action item for 2005.  While either bill would be valuable on its own, they were designed to act in tandem.  SB 5101 builds demand for solar products, with a preference for those manufactured in Washington, by providing tax incentives for those who generate renewable energy.  SB 5111 encour! ages new manufacturing capacity to meet the demand by providing tax incentives for renewable energy businesses that locate in Washington .  The bills would help make Washington a better state in which to locate alternative energy companies by demonstrating a commitment to the technology.

While the activities of the working groups continue, the coalition continues to grow. Nearly 100 organizations from around the region have signed on as partners in this effort. Representatives of our partner organizations convene as the Partnership Roundtable, meeting after each set of working group meetings, to learn about recommendations and help integrate, refine and implement the action items coming from the working groups.

For a complete list of partners, as well as information about the Partnership Roundtable, visit www.prosperitypartnership.org.