On the Job

Salt Lake Chamber Director of Communications Marty Carpenter notes that adding 150,000 jobs would put the state at near full employment and says after one year of the Utah Jobs Agenda, the state is on track to achieve the goal.

100,000 Jobs in 1,000 Days

Gov. Gary R. Herbert recently pulled together an 11-member Governor’s Economic Development Coordinating Council with a single purpose: supporting private-sector efforts to create 100,000 jobs in 1,000 days.

Along with a focus on public education, workforce readiness and employer needs, the council will key in on seven action items:

1. Continuing to recruit new companies to the state

2. Reducing taxes on business expansion inputs for local Utah companies

3. Increasing access to capital for small and startup businesses

4. Assisting the growth of companies in rural Utah by expanding the Business Expansion and Retention program and the Rural Fast Track Program

5. Doubling Utah exports in the next five years

6. Implementing the state’s 10-Year Energy Plan to ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy

7. Ensuring a stable business environment and maintaining Utah’s AAA bond-rating through regulatory reform and fiscally prudent management of state government

Utah Jobs Agenda

In January 2010, the Salt Lake Chamber announced a five-year plan to create 150,000 jobs in the next five years. To reach that milestone, the chamber crafted the following goals to be completed over the five-year timeframe:

Education – Ensure that 90 percent of 3rd and 6th graders achieve reading and math proficiency and that two-thirds of Utahns have a certificate, degree or equivalent endorsement in a skilled trade or academic pursuit by 2020

Transportation – Invest $4 billion in transportation infrastructure

International – Double the value of international merchandise exports

Energy – Invest $1 billion in Utah’s energy economy

Business costs – Secure a third or better ranking among states for the cost of doing business

Statewide corporate recruitment – Land three regional headquarters

Immigration – Create a federally approved, employer-sponsored work program

Tax policy – Make incremental improvements in the efficiency, fairness and stability of the Utah tax structure Air quality – Attain and maintain the national ambient air quality standards

Rural development – Create a private-led business partnership with representatives of rural Utah