Please 
VOTE FOR LIBRARIES

 

Libraries are needed and wanted. They are

porn-free, modern, and connected to the world,

and now much more affordable due to the generosity  of local philanthropists.

Elie G. Kassab
Prestige Development
Office 993.0010
Cell 503.781.1699
http://www.prestigedev.com

Gov. Gregoire unveils state
economic plan in Vancouver

Borrowing a line right out of Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard’s playbook, Gov. Chris Gregoire today declared Washington “open for business,” as she outlined her plan for maintaining and improving the state’s ability to compete in the global economy.

The governor outlined her “Next Washington” economic plan during the 2006 Governor’s Economic and Workforce Development Conference in the Hilton Vancouver Washington today, before an audience of over 500 registered attendees.

The governor’s discussion draft of her Next Washington plan included the following six elements:

Washington is a force in the global economy. Our economic strategy has to start from a global understanding. We are more like a small nation, economically, than just another state.

Education is the single most important economic investment we can make. Investments in education, particularly early childhood education and lifelong learning, have significant economic implications, far into the future, and they are key to helping low-income families gain ground economically.

The public sector should lay the foundation for private sector success. “Infrastructure” means more than the traditional sense of roads and sewers, though those are important. In a modern economy, the foundation for economic growth includes transportation, energy, water, and electronic connections to markets and suppliers.

Sometimes laying the foundation for success means providing information and getting out of the way. Washington needs to be “open for business” in a serious way, using electronic service delivery for easier access and to create economies of scale. We know that unemployed workers are finding jobs more quickly. But we need to make it as easy as possible to do business in Washington.

Government should actively support vital sectors of our economy. Focused, targeted investments can leverage private activity and increase our competitive advantage. The Life Science Discovery Fund plays this role, promoting public research and leveraging federal and private investments. Washington’s biofuel strategy, particularly the recently created loan fund, is another key example of leveraging significant private activity with relatively modest public investment. Our major education and skill investments are additional examples.

The modern global economy is making some old trade-offs irrelevant. We can create jobs without harming the environment. Indeed, clean technologies, renewable energy, tourism, and other industries thrive because they are environmentally aware. We can promote victory in the global marketplace without having to choose between large and small firms. Some of our smallest companies are major players in the global economy.

The two-day event, which for the first time included economic and workforce development professionals together, was the largest Governor’s Economic Development conference ever held in Washington.

A number of awards were presented, including the Governor’s Award for “Open for Business” to the City of Vancouver for its business-friendly approach.

Port to commission largest harbor crane
in North America in public event Friday

Port of Vancouver commissioners, along with state and federal dignitaries, will commission the largest mobile harbor crane in North America at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8.

The public is invited; but each person must have photo ID, and all will be required to stay within designated areas for parking and viewing. Port offices are at 3103 NW Lower River Road.

“The heavy-lift crane brings a whole new dimension for cargo handling on the Columbia River, positioning Vancouver as a premier project cargo part,” reports port executive director Larry Paulson.

The LHM 500S crane, newest model from Austrian crane manufacturer Liebherr is capable of hoisting 140 metric tons. The crane, which weighs nearly 500 tons, operates on 80 wheels on 20 axel sets that are capable of making it “turn on a dime” in any direction.

The first assignment will be completion of a six-month project handling 1,000 components of a 127-unit wind farm near Ellensburg.

 For further information, call Maureen Chan-Hefflin, 992-1107.

Calendar

A reception for the Leadership Clark County Class of 2007 is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. this evening in the Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E 5th Street. Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce president Beth Quartarolo, a member of the LCC class of 1996, will welcome the new class members. n A poetry workshop led by Rivkah Loewus is at 7 p.m. this evening in the Vancouver Community Library. n A ribbon cutting ceremony for Vancouver’s new Washington State Human Rights Commission office in the state School for the Deaf, 611 Grand Boulevard, is at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8. An open house continues in the new office through 3 p.m. n Lloyd Tyler, chief financial officer for the City of Vancouver, will brief members and guests of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce on the city’s financial situation, and the proposed business and occupation tax, at an East Vancouver Forum at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, in Nautilus world headquarters, 16400 SE Nautilus Drive. Following Tyler’s presentation, chamber Public Affairs Committee chairman Scot Walstra will present a public affairs update. The forum, which is open to the public, includes door prizes and networking. The cost is $10 per person and includes breakfast. To register, call 694-2588.