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Tech Talkin' Govs, Part VI

February 23, 2011

The sixth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey and North Carolina. The first five installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan. 26 and Feb. 9 issues of the Digest.

Connecticut

Gov. Dan Malloy, Budget Address, Feb. 16, 2011

“We are combining our economic development efforts under one agency so we can have a single powerful voice when it comes to attracting, retaining, and growing jobs in Connecticut...like our new First Five initiative that will offer powerful incentives to the first five companies that bring hundreds of new jobs to Connecticut.

“This program takes our best job creation tools, like the Reinvestment Tax Credit, the Manufacturing Assistance Act and the Job Creation Tax Credit, and allows them to be combined and the benefits increased for companies that bring more than 200 new jobs to the state.”

Illinois

Gov. Pat Quinn, Budget Address, Feb. 16, 2011

“We must support a vibrant entrepreneurial culture that capitalizes on Illinois' strengths: our strong work ethic, our history of innovation, and our world-class universities and research institutions — including Argonne and Fermi Lab.

“Today, I am announcing the formation of the Illinois Innovation Council.

“Convening the best minds in business, academia, and research and development, this group will identify strategies our state should pursue to foster innovation and economic growth. ...

“... By harnessing our resources and coordinating our efforts, by putting scientists and inventors in touch with businesses and investors, we will create the jobs of today and tomorrow right here in Illinois.”

New Hampshire

Gov. John Lynch, Budget Address, Feb. 15, 2011

“Our University and Community College systems are tremendous resources to our state, and our worthy of our investments. ...They provide research that helps businesses grow and create new jobs. They are engines of our economic future. The restructuring of Unique and the Post-Secondary Education Commission will allow us to fund the community college and university systems at 95 percent of their current levels.

“The Community College System will also receive an additional $2 million a year to create an advanced composite manufacturing program, which will help make possible the expansion of Albany International in New Hampshire and attract additional businesses in this growing field.”

New Jersey

Gov. Chris Christie, Budget Address, Feb. 22, 2011

“The budget includes $200 million in tax reductions. ... The package I am proposing will provide almost $2.5 billion in job-creating tax relief and incentives over the next five years. ...

“We will double our state research and development tax credit to encourage high tech and bio-tech entrepreneurs to create their next great discovery, and the jobs that go with it, right here in New Jersey. ...

“... We will cut the minimum S-corporation business tax by 25%. Again, this will make us more competitive in the region and encourage small businesses and entrepreneurs; and we will exempt from the sales and use tax installation and support of electronically delivered business software. Taxing such software is a burden on high tech innovation. ...

“... I propose to keep funding steady for higher education. After several years of cuts to operating support to colleges and universities, there will be no further reductions in this year's budget.”

North Carolina

Gov. Bev Perdue, State of the State Address, Feb. 14, 2011

“And my job creation package will be more robust than ever before - investing in incentives to support small businesses and green companies. ...

“... Tonight I am following through with a promise I made to North Carolina more than two years ago: a College Promise. Except tonight I am rebranding it as North Carolina's Career and College Promise.

“By consolidating existing programs and nurturing partnerships between high schools and our community college system, career training and a college degree will be more affordable to our students than ever before.

“In the budget I will submit to you, any high school junior who signs up at school for the Career and College Promise - who meets certain criteria while maintaining high academic standards will be eligible to earn a two-year college degree at no cost. These students will be the workers who fill our 21st century industries and workplaces.”

Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolinastate tbed, tech talkin govs, workforce, manufacturing, tax credits, higher ed, r&d, bio, k-12