Gov. Jim Douglas plans to merge the Vermont Departments of Economic Development and Housing and Community Affairs.

The fifth installment of the Tech Talkin' Govs series includes highlights from state of the state, budget and inaugural addresses from governors in Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Utah.

In a period of tightening budgets, it is important for stakeholders to know that the investments they are making in tech-based economic development are yielding positive economic results - and returning revenue to the state. Recent impact assessments to examine comprehensive TBED programs in three states show how smart these investments have been. More telling, different evaluation models were used in all three states and they each reached similar conclusions: strategic TBED investments can stimulate economic growth.

By streamlining what has been perceived as a lengthy review process for university technology licensing deals, Oregon Attorney General John Kroger hopes to eliminate barriers between Oregon universities and entrepreneurs, thereby accelerating private sector job creation.

President Obama nominated Francis Collins, a physician and scientist who helped guide the Human Genome Project to completion, as the next director of the National Institutes of Health.

The legislature approved a budget agreement for the 2009-11 biennium last month, preserving partial funding for Oregon innovation efforts and passing legislation aimed at green job creation. A major component of Gov. Ted Kulongoski's climate change agenda did not survive the legislative session, however.

Over the past few months, several states have enacted spending plans for the upcoming fiscal year and passed legislation to support renewable energy initiatives and tax credits for R&D. While some TBED programs will face dramatic cuts in FY10, others are slated for slight decreases or will receive level funding. The following synopsis provides an overview of the 2009 legislative sessions across the following states:

Complete descriptions of these opportunities and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

While the Presidential election takes center stage on November 4, voters in several states also will cast their votes on statewide ballot issues affecting the TBED community. In addition to the 11 gubernatorial races and more than 5,800 state legislative seats up for grabs, voters across the nation will consider measures to provide funding for public education, expand investment in alternative and renewable energy, lift restrictions on stem-cell research, and eliminate income tax and state spending caps.

Oregon lawmakers haveagreed to fund nearly all of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s innovation proposals, including investments in seven new industry initiatives and the creation of two new signature research centers. The innovation plan passed by lawmakers falls $10 million short of the original $38 million proposal introduced by the Oregon Innovation Council and included in Gov. Kulongoski’s fiscal year 2007-09 budget released in December 2006 (see the Dec.

The Four-County Economic Development Corp. in Portland, Ore., has changed its name to Greenlight Greater Portland.