Facing massive government deficits and stagnant regional economies, many states are exploring new options for their economic development activities. Three states recently have taken steps towards eliminating their primary economic development agencies, and replacing them with public-private partnerships, intended to reduce state spending and improve the responsiveness of state efforts.

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.

Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) has stimulated the state's job creation and increased the amount of additional funds leveraged, according to a report by Battelle. In 2010, SFAz-funded programs led to over 1,150 new jobs, 84 patents and 16 new companies. For every $1.00 awarded by SFAz, an additional $3.06 was matched by an outside source (e.g., federal grants, industry, and venture capital). SFAz's leveraging has increased progressively over the last three years.

Arizona's state, regional and university leaders already have made efforts to stimulate elements of a high-tech economy; however, missing are key fundamentals necessary for the state to compete on a national level, finds a report on Arizona's tech economy.

Entering its tenth year covering governors’ State of the State, Budget and Inaugural Addresses, SSTI’s Tech Talkin’ Govs series highlights new and expanded TBED proposals from across the nation. The first edition includes excerpts from speeches delivered in the following states:

Arizona
Gov. Janice Brewer, State of the State Address, Jan. 11, 2010

Arizona State University invites applications for the position of director, High Performance Computing Initiative (HPCI). Some of the responsibilities include leadership and management of the HPCI, developing the HPCI mission and strategy, growth of the HPCI computing systems and infrastructure, building a strong technical staff to support researchers, and training in HPC for graduate and undergraduate students.

Karina Edmonds will join the Department of Energy as its new technology transfer coordinator starting in April. This is the first time that the Department has appointed a full-time person to fill this role.

Cathy McGonigle has been named executive vice president of the Flinn Foundation. Previously, she held management positions for the city of Chandler, Arizona Department of Revenue and Arizona Department of Administration.

North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue recently signed off on a package of economic incentives for small businesses, including tax credits for interactive digital media firms, particularly those that collaborate with the state's research universities or community colleges. Digital media companies, including video game studios, are eligible for a 15 percent income tax credit; 20 percent for higher education collaborations. The bill also provides a 35 percent tax credit for research performed within one of the state's Eco-Industrial Parks.

Several components of Gov. Bev Perdue's JobsNOW small business package related to tech-based economic development efforts in North Carolina were approved in the FY11 budget signed into law on June 30. A program to provide matching funds for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) will see its budget more than double in the second year of the biennium and life science programs will receive more than $22 million in recurring appropriations. The enacted budget also extends to Jan.

North Carolina's Golden LEAF Foundation is seeking proposals for a special $4 million initiative to improve STEM education for 4th-to-9th graders in rural, economically-distressed and/or tobacco-dependent regions of the state. Applicants must be a governmental entity or 501(c)3 organization, and are eligible to receive up to $750,000 in funding. The program is seeking projects that have a regional focus and connect educational outcomes to the needs of local industry sectors. Letters of intent are due September 7, 2010.

Specialized and high-tech incubators provide crucial services and resources to promote and enhance Commercialization & Entrepreneurship, one of the six thematic tracks of this year's annual conference. Three sessions tied to this theme will be explored during SSTI's annual conference, focusing on direct lessons from successful and proven TBED programs, regional innovation clustering, and more. They include:

• Distributed, Non-University Models for Commercializing New Technologies

Ray Gilley resigned as chief executive of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission after nine years on the job. Gilley was responsible for helping lure the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute to Central Florida.

Peter Ginsberg joined the North Carolina Biotechnology Center as vice president of Business & Technology Development.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the selection of 10 regional economic development and job creation efforts through a new pilot program, Innovative Economies, that supports small business participation in regional economic clusters. SBA's funding is designed to expand the opportunities and the role small businesses play in these regional collaborations. The awardees were selected from among 173 applicants. Awards went to organizations in: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina.

Arizona legislators approved the fiscal year 2009 budget last week, providing funds for proposals aimed at stimulating the state’s economy through investments in higher education infrastructure and increasing R&D activity.
 
Proceeds from an expansion of the state’s lottery will finance $1 billion in bonding for construction projects across the state’s three universities, including $470 million for completion of the Phoenix biomedical campus and upgrades to several buildings.

North Carolina legislators approved last week the fiscal year 2008-09 budget adjustment, providing additional funds for several TBED initiatives within the higher education system. Earlier this year, Gov. Mike Easley unveiled recommendations to use surplus funds to expand university projects aimed at supporting TBED (see the May 14, 2008 issue of the Digest).
 

California

Eleven gubernatorial elections were held across the U.S. on Tuesday, resulting in the selection of three new governors - with TBED initiatives spread throughout their campaigns' messages.

North Carolina's $1.2 billion dollar investment in bioscience over the past decade has helped to build a $45 billion dollar a year industry in the state, according to a new study released by the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. The report finds that North Carolina's bioscience employment numbers have grown 18.5 percent since 2001, the fastest in the nation.

The Obama administration announced winners of the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge on Tuesday. The challenge — publicized earlier this year — is one of the key initiatives of the interagency Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and is sponsored by a partnership between the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Departments of Energy and Labor, and the Small Business Administration.

As evidenced in the recent presidential debates and on the campaign trails, STEM teaching and learning is a national priority for maintaining global competiveness. Several universities and foundations have taken the lead, working with partners to design innovative learning tools and create research-based, professional development support for new math and science teachers.

While election night's main focus was on the presidential race, the importance of ballot measures for states and metros is growing as public services and budgets are being severely trimmed. A recent article in The New Republic reports on a new trend where states are embracing ballot measures as a potential source of dedicated funds for targeted investments in regional economic growth and development.