Small Business Conference |
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A small business conference will be held on Nov. 17th sponsored by the Washington Policy Center, a non-profit public policy research and education organization that has been monitoring the small business climate in Washington state and helping to provide a voice in Olympia. The keynote lunch speech will be given by Governor Gregoire at 11:30 am... |
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Prosperity Partnership E-Newsletter
Regional Leaders Gather to Celebrate Progress and 2006 Action Plan Celebrating a year of unprecedented regional leadership in developing a regional economic strategy, over 800 government, business, labor and non-profit leaders from across the central Puget Sound packed the Westin Hotel last Monday to celebrate the Prosperity Partnership’s first year accomplishments and build momentum for 2006. Prosperity Partnership co-chairs and Governor Gregoire challenged members to continue to push for changes and investments needed to keep our region competitive. And radio talk show host Dave Ross brought the house down with a spirited song poking fun at our region’s tendency to talk a lot. But this is only the beginning. Leaders from around the region have taken the reigns and agreed to produce more results in 2006. Our action plan outlines exactly what we are going to do, who’s going to lead each effort, and when they will be completed. “There is not going to be a silver bullet or quick fix. We are in this for the long haul,” said Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg. “Only by taking specific actions – year in and year out -- will we make our region as competitive as we need to be.” If you missed the lunch, be sure to catch a re-broadcast on TVW.
Taking Aim at the Big Three in 2006 Last week’s lunch was more than festivities; the Prosperity Partnership also announced three major initiatives fundamental to our long-term economic success: Education, transportation and tax reform. “We can do a lot of great things to improve our economy, and we have teams of folks working on specific actions to improve our competitiveness right now. But if we don’t take on the Big Three, we put our future – and the future of generations to come – at severe risk,” said co-chair Bob Drewel. The Prosperity Partnership’s 150 organizations are committed to advancing a regional transportation improvement package in 2006, followed by proposals to the legislature on education and tax reform measures in 2007. The Partnership is pledged to work closely with Governor Gregoire, who already has made these issues priorities of her administration, and with legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle. Look for more information soon on these initiatives and how to get involved. Voters Say Transportation is a Priority
The Prosperity Partnership has identified investing in our deteriorating transportation system as a foundation of the regional economic strategy. Our region’s future economic health, ability to compete, retain and grow jobs is fundamentally linked to an efficient transportation system. One last hurdle – a regional investment package – remains. But we are well on our way to overcoming our transportation challenges. Seattle Area Ranks #1 in Sustainable Competitiveness The San Diego Association of Governments and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) have released the 2005 Indicators of Sustainable Competitiveness Report comparing 18 similar metro regions on three critical quality of life indicators -- Economy, Environment and Equity -- that affect the region's long-term prosperity and competitiveness The "Three Es" take into account the quality of the natural environment, the working environment, and the quality of the social and cultural opportunities available to all residents. According to the latest results, the Seattle area ranked first in the report (up from number five in 2001), followed by Denver, Portland, Raleigh, and Austin. At the bottom of the list were Phoenix, Sacramento, Tampa, Orange County, and Washington, D.C. San Diego ranked ninth. To access the full report, visit the EDC's website. Small Business Conference Nov. 17th A small business conference will be held on Nov. 17th sponsored by the Washington Policy Center, a non-profit public policy research and education organization that has been monitoring the small business climate in Washington state and helping to provide a voice in Olympia. The keynote lunch speech will be given by Governor Gregoire at 11:30 am with questions from the audience. There will also be a legislative preview panel with Democrat Representative Maralyn Chase and Republican Senator Bill Finkbeiner. Following that will be a state agency panel with representatives from the Department of Revenue, Labor & Industries, Department of Revenue, and the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Assistance. The top recommendations of small businesses will be presented to legislators and state officials, and we’ll be able to track closely any improvements to our small business environment. For more information and to register for the Statewide Washington Small Business Conference on November 17th, please visit www.smallbusinessconference.com or call 888-972-9272. |
Voters
gave transportation a big boost last week by sustaining an $8.5 billion
funding package that will build congestion relief, safety, and freight
mobility projects throughout the central Puget Sound region and state.