SSTI Digest

Five Shoes Waiting to Drop on Arizona's Future, a 50-page report released by the Morrison Institute of Public Policy, details five key trends that could harm the state's future if they are not well managed.

The "shoes waiting to drop," according to the report, are trends already at work in Arizona that are altering the state's social and economic make-up. The report says that Morrison Institute researchers believe it behooves Arizona to recognize the trends and respond to them as it plots a course in a time of transition.

The trends are encompassed by the following:

George Atkinson is taking a year-long leave of absence from his position as a professor in chemistry and optical sciences at the University of Arizona to serve as the first American Institute of Physics science fellow at the U.S. State Department.&nbsp

Margie Emmermann has been named Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce. For the past seven years, Ms. Emmermann has been the state's policy adviser to Mexico and liaison to the Hispanic Community.&nbsp

Arizona In spite of a tight budget resulting in cuts of $600 million, the Business Journal reports the Arizona state legislature has appropriated $3 million to launch implementation of the strategic plan developed by the APNE, the Arizona Partnership for the New Economy (see the Jan. 26, 2001 issue of the SSTI Weekly Digest for a story on the plan). The funds, to be focused primarily on rural telecom initiatives, will be administered by the Department of Commerce. For more information on APNE see: http://www.commerce.state.az.us/neweconomy/APNE.htm

Jackie Norton, director of the Arizona Department of Commerce for the past five years, has announced she will be leaving the position this summer.

With as much emphasis on accessing and applying technology as on creating it, the final report of the Arizona Partnership for the New Economy (APNE) outlines several recommendations to improve Arizona’s position and performance in a tech-based economy.

“While it is important to have industries that produce technology and continually improve it, the real impact of [the new economy] will be felt by the application of technology across a wide range of industries and activities,” says the 36-member task force appointed by Governor Jane Dee Hull.

Editor's Note: We continue our look at the priority Governors are placing on tech-based economic development and math & science education with highlights from recent speeches and budget proposals. Based on this week's announcements, it appears 2001 appears will be a third strong growth year for state and local tech-based economic development activities.

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, State of the State Address, January 9, 2001, and accompanying legislative agenda -- new initiatives http://www.state.ar.us/governor/state_of_state_2001/index.html

All States Whether or not to tax e-commerce has become a states’ rights issue. The industry-led Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce has recommended to Congress that it extend the current ban on e-commerce sales taxes for five years; the moratorium is set to expire in October, 2001. While governors in several states have been vocal in their opposition of any e-sales taxes, 42 governors have submitted a joint letter to Congress blasting the ban as a special interest tax break that interferes with state sovereignty. More information is available from the National Governors’ Association web site: http://www.nga.org/Releases/PR-12April2000Internet.asp

Arizona Governor Jane Dee Hull has announced the formation of the Arizona Partnership for the New Economy, a 35-member steering committee appointed to purse the following goals:

Define the New Economy and its importance to Arizona; Assess Arizona’s current readiness and establish benchmarks for measuring progress; and, Develop strategies for correcting any perceived deficiencies in responding to the opportunities presented by the New Economy.

Alan Hald and Ted Ferris were named as co-chairs of the committee. Hald is co-founder of MicroAge and Ferris serves as the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff and policy advisor on economic matters. Other members of the committee come from high-tech industry, financial and investment firms, business and trade associations, academia, the media, and the general public.

Jack Haenichen has been promoted to Deputy Director for the Arizona Department of Commerce.