January 14, 2008
Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
The 2008 legislative session began this week and I want to focus on a specific bill that holds enormous potential for our state. This legislation proposes that Nebraska take a quantum leap forward in our efforts to create quality, high-paying jobs and enhance our ability to compete in a global free-market economy. Our goal is to keep our young people and middle class families in our state.
This new legislation is called the Nebraska Super Advantage and it will enhance our already successful Nebraska Advantage.
The Nebraska Advantage has been very successful since taking effect in 2006. During the last two years, 138 companies have decided to locate or expand here in Nebraska. These businesses are expected to invest more than $4.6 billion in our state economy and will create more than 12,000 new jobs.
This is enormous progress and we are now ready to take these incentives to the next level. Nebraskans want higher paying jobs, better careers, financial security, and expanded opportunities for their children.
The Nebraska Super Advantage is targeted at creating jobs that pay 200 percent of a county’s average wage or 150 percent of the state average wage, whichever is highest. These new jobs will pay at least the state's annual average wage, $50,700.
The reason the Nebraska Advantage has been so successful in jump-starting new business development is due to the focus we’ve placed on new job creation. Companies creating jobs that encourage young people to remain in our state are key to our future. This proposal takes that idea one step further. We want to attract businesses that offer dynamic careers for our college graduates.
The Nebraska Super Advantage provides us the opportunity to recruit jobs in many fields. The focus would be on Nebraska’s growing industries including high-tech, advanced manufacturing, agricultural or pharmaceutical research and development, information technology, financial services, telecommunications, professional services, and headquarters operations.
The Nebraska Super Advantage will also provide communities the new tools they need to help move forward. This plan is about the next decade of job creation and the next generation of Nebraskans.
