Editorial:Business leaders on the right track in Idaho- Sprucing up our regional economy must start with proper education funding

Get a bunch of business people to sit around a table and discuss ways to improve the economy and you just might end up with some great ideas.

Idaho State Journal

That’s exactly what happened Oct. 25 when a group of local business owners and leaders participated in a roundtable discussion about the local economy. While nobody exactly reinvented the wheel, it was refreshing to see the diverse group agree on several things they said could be done to turn the economy around.

Surprisingly, the topic at the top of most of the attendees’ lists was education. As an economic development tool, it’s often overlooked, and it was fantastic to see local business leaders give education its due. In fact, J.R. Simplot spokesman Rick Phillips went so far as to say that each candidate in this week’s election would be held up to the education spotlight — a prognostication that proved true. On Tuesday, every single Bannock County legislative seat was captured by a Democrat, the party most closely associated with education advocacy.

But improving the state of education funding is likely a long-term solution. Our region is struggling mightily right now, and many of the business leaders were eager to come up with some quick fixes that might help the state pull out of its ongoing recession.

Local hotel owner and past Idaho Travel Council chairman Steve Rice even suggested a temporary 1-cent increase in the sales tax as a way to raise money for state coffers — he even suggested the money raised be funneled directly to the state’s public education system. That’s a big step for Rice or any other merchant for that matter — increasing the sales tax effectively increases the price of a product. It’s encouraging to see someone willing to sacrifice a bit in order to assist the economy as a whole.

Some of the other ideas:

– Some participants said they would like to see the incentive package offered to prospective southeast Idaho businesses expanded. Bannock Development Corp. Executive Director Ray Burstedt said the incentives he is allowed by state law to offer outside and existing companies is lacking when compared to what surrounding states can offer. Just as is the case for improved education funding, the battle for better incentive packages must be fought at the state level.
And, while it would be nice to be a huge magnet for incoming business and industry, some of those attending the roundtable were more interested in seeing what kinds of incentives are available to convince existing businesses to further cement their commitment to our local economy — How can Idaho encourage business to expand?

– While it was reassuring to hear participants say the infrastructure in Pocatello is more than adequate to support almost any company — Phillips went as far as to say the reason Simplot’s fertilizer plant west of Pocatello is located here is because of the Gate City’s infrastructure — there is room for improvement. One of the major drawbacks for Pocatello is transportation, or rather a lack of it. The city hasn’t offered passenger rail service since 1997, and the air service offered at the city’s airport is strictly of the commuter variety. A regional airport, perhaps centered in Blackfoot, would likely attract such service to the area, but without the cooperation of the region’s three largest cities — Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Blackfoot — and the FAA for that matter, it’s not an idea that’s even close to becoming a reality.

– Developer Bill Isley caught people’s attention with his suggestion to city leaders that they join forces to redevelop idle land owned by Union Pacific Railroad. According to Isley, the railroad only needs about 200 of the 1,400 acres it owns here for its operations. Redeveloping the rest would not only add jobs, he said, but would put the land on the city’s property tax rolls, where it currently is not. It’s an idea worth exploring, especially if UP is willing to consider unloading some of its excess property. UP officials told the Journal last week the idea is not without precedent and the railroad has already made such deals in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and other cities.
Mayor Roger Chase said Pocatello recently gave UP officials a list of properties it is interested in acquiring. "It’s a good idea and we are in talks with UP about it," he said.
The roundtable produced some great discussion and ideas. Here’s hoping city leaders — in both the private and public arenas — make progress toward acting on them.

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