SSTI Digest

In Iowa

Less than two weeks after his inauguration, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver called for the state legislature to lift the state ban on embryonic stem cell research. The ban was first instituted in 2002.



Gov. Culver made the announcement at the University of Iowa's Medical Education and Research Facility. He also announced that when he presents his budget to the legislature, he will include $12.5 million for the construction of Iowa's Center for Regenerative Medicine to be built at the university.



"Simply lifting the ban will not be enough," said Gov. Culver. "We must commit state resources now to finding a cure and ensuring a high quality of life for future generations. Right now, Iowa is at a competitive disadvantage with other states. While surrounding states like Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri are moving forward to build research facilities, lure away our researchers and pass new legislation allowing embryonic stem cell research, Iowa continues to tie the hands of our best health science professionals with an outdated ban on this lifesaving research."

The question of whether or not there is enough opportunity for economic development through public-private investment in biosciences has been answered with a pretty strong “yes,” based on a report released Jan. 29 by Battelle and BIO.

 

Growing The Nation's Biotech Sector: A Regional Perspective reveals that more than half of the nation's 361 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) have a specialization (employment concentration that is 20 percent greater than the national average) in at least one of four major bioscience subsectors: drugs and pharmaceuticals; medical devices and equipment; research, testing and medical laboratories; and agricultural feedstocks and chemicals.

 

Imagine you're going into business for yourself. You will become an entrepreneur. Do you think you would stop to consider if you should relocate to a state with lower or even higher taxes before embarking on this venture?  Probably not.

 

At least that is a way to read the conclusions of a recent research paper published by the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy. The major conclusion of State Tax Policy and Entrepreneurial Activity, prepared by Donald Bruce of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and John Deskins of Creighton University in Omaha, finds “state tax policy, including both tax rates and the type of taxes in a state’s portfolio, has only a modest effect on aggregate state entrepreneurship rates.”

 

A new study of the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) reveals MTI's award programs have been effective in contributing to the success of its awardees and in increasing high-tech employment in the state. The MTI evaluation, conducted by the Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) at the University of Southern Maine, also found that the success rate of MTI's funded projects improved over the five-year history of the organization. Although the available indicators suggest that MTI is a profitable investment for the state, the CBER report recommends that MTI pursue new methods of tracking its role in high-tech economic development.

 

In just under 50 days, more than 4,000 people have gone to SSTI's website to read A Resource Guide for Technology-based Economic Development. The guide provides insights into three of the most important elements of transforming regional economies:

Did your New Year's resolutions involve making a career change? If so and you've yet to fulfill that resolution, visit the SSTI Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.



In addition to the new opportunities described below, the SSTI Job Corner has openings for these positions:

Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed Clarence Bishop to serve as interim secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, replacing Aris Melissaratos.



Mike Blouin has stepped down as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development to become president of the Greater Dubuque Development Corp..



Tucker Fagan announced he is retiring as CEO of the Wyoming Business Council to join his sons in starting a Wyoming high-tech company.



Gov. Eliot Spitzer has named Daniel Gundersen co-chairman of the Empire State Development Corp. in New York.

Gov. Martin O'Malley has appointed Clarence Bishop to serve as interim secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, replacing Aris Melissaratos.