SSTI Digest

The Oregon Innovation Council (Oregon InC), which spent a year reviewing how best to expand the state’s economy by leveraging industry-supported initiatives with public investments, may get to see the toils of its labor come to fruition. Gov. Ted Kulongoski released earlier this month his 2007-09 budget, with full support for the innovation plan put out by Oregon InC. Oregon InC, a private-public statewide advisory council created by the 2005 legislature, had proposed $38.2 million for investment in industry and research initiatives to increase productivity and generate innovative technologies (see the Oct. 2, 2006 issue of the Digest). The governor's budget includes full funding for the council's proposals, including:

A recent report from Hawaii’s Tax Review Commission recommends the state eliminate or drastically overhaul its five-year old tax credit for high-tech investors. According to the report, the current credit provides no clear advantage to the state and appears open to taxpayer abuse. The commission was particularly troubled by the lack of data provided by taxpayers who were approved for the credit and by the lack of transparency concerning the credit within the state’s Department of Taxation.   A review undertaken on behalf of the commission was unable to determine the effectiveness of the credit, due to insufficient data on its cost to the state and its impact on state high-tech industries. This lack of transparency led the commission to suggest the Hawaii credit may be a ‘black hole’ for tax revenues, and propose legislative changes that would restructure the credit as a program of grants administered by a state agency.  

SSTI's most recent publication, A Resource Guide for Technology-based Economic Development, provides valuable insights into three of the most important elements of transforming regional economies:

The Kansas City region is obtaining funding for high-tech research in the life sciences, but entrepreneurship is stifled because of fragmented efforts to improve the innovation environment and the region’s lack of an overall strategy for its various stakeholders. This finding and others were identified in Completing the Puzzle: Creating a High-Tech and Life Sciences Economy in Kansas City, a recent report prepared for the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program. The report offers suggestions on how a “second-tier” region like Kansas City can build upon its existing industrial capacity to emerge as a viable location for knowledge-based industries.  

In what is often seen as a leading indicator of future total international student enrollment numbers, the percentage of newly enrolled foreign students has increased 8.3 percent between the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years. This trend and others were highlighted in the annual Open Doors Report published by the Institute of International Education. The attractiveness of the U.S. as a place to attain an education is of great concern to many higher education institutions and public officials because of the contributions international students make to the innovative capacity and economic future of the U.S.  

The University of Arizona's Office of Economic and Policy Analysis seeks a highly qualified and motivated individual to conduct and advance a nationally recognized applied research program in regional economics. Focus areas include regional economic integration, cross border trade and linkages, economic impact analyses, and evaluation of economic development policies. A full description of this opportunity and others is available through the SSTI Job Corner at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

The Hershey Center for Applied Research announced that Laura Butcher will serve as its first executive director, effective Jan. 3. Gov. Tim Pawlenty shifted Ward Einess from his position as acting director of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to commissioner of the state Department of Revenue. No replacement has been named for Einess. Al Frink resigned as the U.S. Department of Commerce's assistant secretary for manufacturing and services. Frink will serve through January 2007. Bruce Johnson, formerly Ohio's lieutenant governor and development director, was named president and CEO of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.

The Hershey Center for Applied Research announced that Laura Butcher will serve as its first executive director, effective Jan. 3.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty shifted Ward Einess from his position as acting director of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to commissioner of the state Department of Revenue. No replacement has been named for Einess.

Al Frink resigned as the U.S. Department of Commerce's assistant secretary for manufacturing and services. Frink will serve through January 2007.

Bruce Johnson, formerly Ohio's lieutenant governor and development director, was named president and CEO of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.

Tiffany McVeety stepped down from her post as director of the Northwest Women's Business Center to become a business banker for Shoreline Bank. Rebecca Villareal replaces McVeety.