Tech Talkin' Govs, Part I

Entering its tenth year covering governors’ State of the State, Budget and Inaugural Addresses, SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in the following states:

Arizona
Gov. Janice Brewer, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2010

“… I am taking the following specific actions to make Arizona even more competitive in creating jobs.

First, I am announcing the formation of a Governor's Jobs Cabinet. This team of key state agency directors will cut through the red tape and the green tape to speed job creation.

“Second, I will be allocating a significant portion of remaining federal stimulus funds directly to bring new jobs to Arizona. Specifically, I am devoting $10 million in one-time federal stimulus funds for job training. …

“… Third, under the leadership of Jerry Colangelo and Commerce Director Don Cardon ... I have created the Governor's Commerce Advisory Council. Working with other Arizona business leaders, they will transform the Department of Commerce into an engine for job creation.

“Finally, I will convene a summit of leading CEOs of national and international companies in the near future to discuss job creation opportunities in Arizona.”

California
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, State of the State Address, Jan. 6, 2010

“The first priority for the coming year, obviously, is to get the economy and to get jobs back. …

“... (Y)ou will receive a $500 million jobs package that we estimate could train up to 140,000 workers and help create 100,000 jobs. …

“… (S)ince we want California to be the dynamo of green technology, I ask you to pass our proposal exempting the purchase of green-tech manufacturing equipment from the sales tax. …

“… Spending 45 percent more on prisons than universities is no way to proceed into the future. So I will submit to you a constitutional amendment so that never again do we spend a greater percentage of our money on prisons than on higher education.”

Idaho
Gov. Butch Otter, State of the State and Budget Address, Jan. 11, 2010

“...  (W)e soon will be submitting reports from my Business and Innovation summits to germane committees of the Legislature on what we’re hearing from Idaho businesses. … you will see calls for continuing the work of our Innovation Council toward making it easier to move great ideas at our universities to great products and services in the marketplace.”

Iowa
Gov. Chet Culver, Condition of the State Address, Jan. 12, 2010

“Job creation and job retention are incredibly important. So, I’m asking you to fully fund community college job training, and to adequately fund the Department of Workforce Development during these challenging times. And, to create more ‘green collar jobs’ of the future, to fully fund the Iowa Power Fund.

“In addition, to help create more jobs, invest further in our infrastructure, stimulate our economy, and continue our flood recovery efforts, I look forward to working with you to best allocate the remaining $100 million dollars of our I-JOBS initiative in FY11.”

Kansas
Gov. Mark Parkinson, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2010

“The second initiative that I want to propose is that we continue to move forward with energy policy in Kansas; 2008 was about building wind farms in Kansas, 2009 was about bringing wind manufacturing jobs and transmission to Kansas. Let’s make 2010 about making Kansas a national leader. We should lead the country in renewable energy.

“Accordingly, I have asked Lieutenant Governor Findley to lead a Cabinet team who will make sure that we take advantage of every opportunity to continue to bring transmission, wind farms and green jobs to Kansas. It is our destiny to provide clean energy to the rest of the country and Lieutenant Governor Findley will lead the way to make that happen.”

New York
Gov. David Paterson, State of the State Address, Jan. 6, 2010

“Unfortunately, our Empire Zone program is no longer working. So, as I said last year, we are going to put it where it belongs – in the past. We are no longer going to provide tax credits for businesses that do not provide the jobs that we were promised. Instead, we will replace it with the Excelsior Program.

“This will be a New Economy jobs program that will focus on the clean energy and high-tech growth jobs of tomorrow. This program will be sustainable. It will be one that we will all be proud of because it will be open and it will be transparent. …

“… We have come back with three aggressive initiatives targeted for growth industries, such as clean energy, broadband, information systems, and bio-technology.

“This, combined with our “45 by 15” energy plan and a $25 million investment in a new technological fund for entrepreneurs, will create the kind of encouragement for capital investment, will spur innovation, and create tens of thousands of jobs to go along with the 50,000 jobs that will be realized from our great “45 by 15” energy plan, which converts electric use to clean and renewable energy sources. …

“… So, the Excelsior Jobs Program will be the centerpiece of the most aggressive jobs-creation agenda in our State’s history. But it is only one piece. We are emerging in New York and all around the globe toward an economy – one based on knowledge, technology, and innovation. …

“… We will create and we will support the environments of investment, which is why our Administration is working on a plan to bring first-stage capital to first-stage technological development.

“The five largest patent-holding companies that exist right here in New York, average about $11 billion worldwide in research and development. The Research and Development tax credits will incenvitize them to put more resources into New York and have a better relationship with our universities, both public and private. …

“… We will also go back to the historic manufacturing industry and make it whole again – with tax credits and also with retrofits for small businesses; with a reformed Power for Jobs Program; and a cutting-edge and groundbreaking concept of buying up, retrofitting, and reselling abandoned manufacturing sites. …

“… Now, we also have to address the decades in which Upstate New York has suffered in recession – long before the rest of New York and the country got there. We will do it by extending the Erie Canal Research and Development Corridor.”

Vermont
Gov. Jim Douglas, State of the State Address, Jan. 7, 2010

“There are additional investments in economic development that we can make now. I renew my call to use nearly $9 million from the federal stimulus act for job creation. This money will help train workers, provide access to capital for small businesses and farms, promote tourism and enhance our telecommunications infrastructure. …

“… The final stop for Vermont’s high-speed network is in every home and workplace. … But for families and businesses that want to get connected and are still not served by high-speed internet, I propose a “Backroads Broadband” program to spur local providers to build last mile connections.”

Washington
Gov. Christine Gregoire, State of the State Address, Jan. 12, 2010

“Washington has always been a state that attracts capital — both financial and intellectual. We need to keep that tradition going, and one way to do that is to stimulate capital investment in biotechnology, software development, health care, clean technology, renewable energy, aerospace and other industries that will drive our future. The goal is to attract $2 billion in capital investments to fuel job growth. …

“… I will create the Clean Energy Business Development Program to position Washington to be a leader in the clean energy economy and keep us competitive globally. …

“… Now is the time to be more practical in the way we do business. Over the years, the Department of Commerce has become a hodgepodge of programs. This session I am asking you to move 25 programs out of the Department of Commerce so it can focus on its critical core mission, and programs can be better aligned to meet the needs of their customers.

“… I’m asking you to provide funding to our community and technical colleges to retrain 2,500 of our workers for the jobs of tomorrow. And I’m requesting you provide our four-year institutions with competitive tuition flexibility so we can continue to be ranked among the best in the nation in producing the most innovative workers and employers.”