Washington State Releases Global Competitiveness Recommendations

It could be frustration at the lack of action by the federal government, displeasure with the direction of national policy or a sense of urgency and need, but states are increasingly taking matters into their own hands when it comes to many major issues. Examples abound, including states taking the lead on dealing with global warming, energy policy, health care, food quality assurance, stem cell research, broadband coverage and even foreign trade. Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire may have summed up this emerging Neo/post-federalism movement late last month when she said, "Washington is its own small nation in this new world economy."

The governor’s comments accompanied the release of the 110-page report from the Global Competitiveness Council Gov. Gregoire established a year ago. Rising to the Challenge of Global Competition summarizes the findings, observations and recommendations from the council comprised of 46 industry, utility, political, research, educational and civic leaders for the state. Rising to the Challenge draws its urgency from the writings of Thomas Friedman and Richard Florida and global statistics on competitiveness from many sources, such as the World Trade Organization and the National Academy of Science’s Rising Above the Gathering Storm.

The council’s five committees – infrastructure; skills; research and innovation; marketing; and political environment – identify 27 recommendations for strengthening Washington’s position in the global economy. Suggestions ranged, however, from very specific – "add an additional year of math as a high school graduation requirement" – to rather vague, "ensure confidence in the state’s ability to move goods to and from ports for international trade."

The level of detail varies by committee, but the report also identifies metrics/measures for completion and responsible parties or sectors of the state’s economy for many recommendations. Specific financial requirements and other resources required for success, however, are not presented for nearly all of the recommendations. With that critical element missing, how the report will guide the governor’s future budget requests and the initiatives and activities of her administration remains to be seen.

Rising to the Challenge of Global Competition is available at: http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/global_competition.pdf

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