Idaho rolls out a new strategy

E-mail from the Governor’s office in Idaho:

The Governor will be rolling out Project 60 in a more definitive and high-profile way on Thursday when he addresses the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce. It will be the Governor’s signature economic development initiative, embodying his core principle of Enhancing Economic Opportunity.

PROJECT 60: Governor Otter has set a goal of expanding the gross state product of Idaho from its current $51 billion to $60 billion by the time he leaves office. We are calling it “Project 60,” and it will be integrated into all that we do in terms of economic development and job creation.

Important points to remember:

* Just because Idaho has fared somewhat better than most other states during the recent economic downturn, we are not resting on the laurels of our unprecedented 20 years of growth. Complacency is a recipe for disaster, so we are aggressively attacking our challenges on a number of fronts under the Project 60 banner. Think of it as a business plan for Idaho, around which we will be focusing many of our public policy initiatives.

* Part of that involves working with community and industry leaders throughout Idaho to complete public infrastructure projects that facilitate expansion. That includes improving our roads, highways and bridges and facilitating energy transmission.

* We also are working on recruitment of people with special skills, including engineers and computer scientists needed by companies looking to grow and expand.

* And we are working on a regional technology transfer protocol. Its goal is encouraging innovative new companies to take root and create jobs from the research being conducted at our universities and the Idaho National Laboratory http://www.inl.gov .

* Finally, the weak dollar has provided an excellent platform from which to expand our international exports and our presence in the global marketplace. We are AGGRESSIVELY pursuing the international market on three fronts: foreign direct investment, such as that being made by French-owned AREVA; raising foreign investment capital for start-up of new innovation companies and support of growing companies; and expanding exports and trade, including recruitment of businesses from Canada and elsewhere for our available labor and very competitive operating costs.