POLLY'S COMMENTS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

• Louisiana is one of only two states whose economic output contracted rather than expanded during the last year of the U.S. economic boom.
• Louisiana is the ONLY southern state to lose population in the last decade and through 2002. If this out-migration of "our best and brightest" continues, there are numerous dire consequences that will contribute to our economic decline. Additionally, further population erosion could result in our losing a congressman and, therefore, power and influence in Washington.
• Louisiana is viewed to be unfriendly to business and industry due to real or perceived corruption in public officials and due to taxes imposed on businesses that are not levied in neighboring states.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

• Bring in new, better-paying jobs.
• Retain and enhance existing businesses.
• Determine which activities/functions must be funded by the state and return all local functions to the appropriate jurisdictions with a mechanism for locals to fund their priorities.
• Adopt a more competitive tax structure, e.g. reduce or eliminate sales tax on equipment and machinery and remove borrowed capital from the corporate franchise tax
• Support the new Governor as the head of economic development and a traveling salesman.

HOW DOES IT TIE IN TO THE EDUCATION PLANK?

• As small as one job as a friend who is an administrator in a retirement center. A person with school age children can't afford private school and won't put children in failing public schools
• Executives must add $5,000-$10,000 to salaries to get employees to relocate here so they can afford private school.
• As big as 800 to 1,200 employees at a Boeing plant to manufacture the new 7E7 airplane.
• Business site selection criteria include:
  • Quality of local public schools
  • Available labor pool
  • Absenteeism and turnover rates for other local companies
  • Training infrastructure and opportunities to join in partnership with local agencies or governments
• Revitalize/improve schools surrounding the UNO Research and Technology Park so that the public schools are attractive to those earning good salaries.
• Strengthen or build education programs (incumbent worker training programs; community and technical college programs responsive to business and labor market needs, e.g. to support shipbuilding and film production industries).
  

---