Governor Gregoire Unveils Next Washington Economic Plan

For Immediate Release: September 7, 2006

VANCOUVER �Governor Chris Gregoire today declared Washington open for business as she outlined her vision for The Next Washington, her plan for maintaining and improving the state�s ability to compete in the global economy.

�This plan is about a vision for the future of our state and the steps we must take in order to get there. It�s about a Washington where economic expansion, environmental quality and cultural diversity work together to create global success,� said Governor Gregoire. �We can get there by investing in education and skills training, by supporting the foundations of the new economy and by making Washington a good place to do business.�

Governor Gregoire unveiled the plan during the 2006 Governor�s Economic and Workforce Development Conference in Vancouver. The 2006 conference is the largest Governor�s Economic Development conference ever held in Washington, with nearly 575 participants registered.

In developing her Next Washington plan, Governor Gregoire convened a Global Competitiveness Council to seek advice from business and community leaders about how to ensure Washington�s global leadership. She met with leaders from around the world on trade missions and traveled around the state on a listening tour, asking Washingtonians what should be the priorities of state government and how success is defined.

�We must work across party lines, across the state, across the country and around the world to learn what strategies are successful in preparing Washington to compete in the global economy,� said Governor Gregoire.

The Next Washington plan acknowledges the unique regional economic needs of the state and lays out specific initiatives to improve workers� skills, connect research universities more directly with private sector and economic-development enterprises, boost telecommunications and energy infrastructure and make it easier to do business with government. The plan is based on three components:

1. Education and Skills
   These are the most important investment that can be made in our economic future.
   
2. More Than Traditional Infrastructure
   The foundation for economic success is not only a strategy for traditional infrastructure investment, but also more deliberate investments in energy, telecommunications, water and transportation.
   
3. Open for Business
   Washington is a business friendly state and it can be even friendlier by making it easier and less expensive to operate a business here.

The conference in Vancouver is the first time economic and workforce development professionals have come together at a statewide event. Seven awards to outstanding projects and individuals in economic and workforce development across Washington were announced at the conference.

2006 Governor�s Awards for Best Practices in Workforce Development

• Building Next Steps, a pilot project of community organizations and colleges in Seattle�s White Center neighborhood
  
• The Institute for Enology & Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College

2006 Governor�s Awards for Best Practices in Economic Development

• City of Redmond and Microsoft, development agreement
  
• Port of Walla Walla, Railex project

2006 Governor�s Award for Open for Business

• Vancouver�s Business-Friendly Approach

2006 Governor�s Economic Development Advocate of the Year

• John Ladenburg, Pierce County Executive

2006 Governor�s Lifetime Achievement Award

• Mike Flynn, previous publisher, Puget Sound Business Journal

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