Gov. Gregoire holds Spokane economic roundtable discussion

For Immediate Release: March 17, 2009

SPOKANE � Gov. Chris Gregoire today met with business, labor and education leaders at Spokane Community College to develop strategies to help Washington pull through the national recession.

�We need to work across the aisle and across the state to lead our communities through these tough economic times,� Gregoire said. �It is going to take the work of us all to create a stronger Washington � one that still provides valuable services while being more economically sustainable.�

Gregoire was accompanied by Rogers Weed, the state�s new director of commerce, who will oversee the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

�I am excited about this new role,� Weed said. �My focus, day in and day out, will be on business development and job creation. It is vital that we work together with a diverse group of local leaders. We need their help to develop strategies that will pull Washington from this national recession.�

In her state stimulus package, the governor has proposed spending $32 million to construct a technical education building at SCC. In addition, Gregoire has proposed spending more than $29 million to build a chemistry and life science building at Spokane Falls Community College.

�The proposed funding for construction at Spokane�s community colleges falls right in line with our strategy to get people back to work,� Gregoire said. �I see nothing more fitting than to put money toward those projects that are ready for construction this spring. At the same time, we will improve our higher education system to help people develop job skills for this changing economy.�

�We are pleased that Governor Gregoire came to Spokane to listen directly to business, education and community leaders,� said Gary Livingston, chancellor of Community Colleges of Spokane. �Top representatives have provided the governor and new commerce director with excellent input from a wide range of perspectives � urban and rural K-12, community college, university, business, health care, manufacturing, labor and work force development.�

�We appreciate having the governor travel to Spokane and pulling together some of the leadership to consider how this region and the state can collaborate to create a stronger economy,� said Rich Hadley, president and CEO of Greater Spokane Incorporated.

Gregoire�s Washington Jobs Now package includes $427 million in construction projects that are ready for groundbreaking in the next few months.

The package also includes $390 million to accelerate transportation projects statewide that are ready for construction, including $15 million to continue work on the North Spokane Corridor. The investment would pay for grading of the southbound alignment from Freya to Parksmith and the construction of the Lincoln and Gerlach bridges.

Combined with the state�s transportation budget, Gregoire�s stimulus plan is expected to create and sustain nearly 20,000 jobs over the next two years.