Tech Talkin' Govs: Part II

The second installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Alaska, Colorado, Missouri, and New Mexico. Our first installment was in the Jan. 11 Digest. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell, State of the State Address, Jan. 19, 2012 "I also thank you for working with me to create a merit scholarship that gives all Alaska's children an incentive to complete a more rigorous high school curriculum. ... "... In its first year, this scholarship has been a remarkable success. Now we must secure it for future years. This legislative session, let us take the $400 million that we set aside last year, and build a strong fence of moral obligation around it. Let us create a fund for that money so the fund's earnings can pay for these scholarships for future generations." Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, State of the State Address, Jan. 12, 2012 "We established the Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) to foster collaboration and idea-sharing across private sector, academic and public lines, including the 29 research laboratories in Colorado. ... "... COIN gives us a unique opportunity to incubate entrepreneurship and facilitate the transfer of new ideas to the marketplace. ... "... While COIN is privately funded, we are asking for a modest public investment to continue the success we had with Arrow and GE." Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, State of the State Address, Jan. 17, 2012 "As part of our Missouri Works strategy, the budget I present tonight continues our record investment in worker training for a second year, especially in high-tech areas so critical to modern manufacturing. ... "... The next pillar of Missouri Works is to accelerate investment in high-growth industries like science and technology. ... "... With the passage last year of the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, we are poised for rapid progress. "As part of Missouri Works, my budget includes $4 million in seed capital to invest in attracting the very best science talent to Missouri." New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, State of the State Address, Jan. 17, 2012 "We need to invest in a culture of entrepreneurship so more of these family businesses can make it — so they can grow and hire more New Mexicans. "I'm also proposing a tax credit for high-tech research and development to attract more high-paying jobs to the state."