Daily Star questionnaire: Prosperity

I just finished completing a platform questionnaire for the Daily Star.  I'll be posting the questions, and my answers.  Here's the third one.  The fourth one was about hydrofracking; I took it almost verbatim from my "Clearing Up The Onion a Little" post, so there's no need to repeat it.

If elected, what steps would you take or support to ensure the county's economic prosperity?

I think we need to be realistic about what County government can do to substantially impact the economic prosperity of Otsego County. I find it odd that the voices which strongly oppose government intervention or regulation (mostly in good times) are the first raised to demand that government improve the economic environment in bad times. 
 
Government – federal, state and local – can, at best, adjust some of the parameters at the periphery of economic activity. Tax policy, regulation, infrastructure and active marketing of under-used economic resources are its major tools. The primary responsibility for economic growth lies with private industry. I think that the County has a role, as well, but at most, a secondary one.

In Otsego County, we have some of the best conditions for economic activity that could be imagined. World-class tourism sites, breathtaking lakes, beautiful and accessible countryside; history, opera, geology, art. Clean, fresh air and water. Rail and highway access. We have two hospitals and two colleges. 
 
We have not suffered from a lack of economic development councils and the plans they have developed. It's hard to believe that, over the years, all that activity has missed major methods of marketing our County and workable ideas for stimulating business. We certainly need to keep doing this kind of thing: letting professionals examine what is, and plan for what could be.

Once again, of course, we need to consider just what role the County has in economic development, especially in a long-term economic downturn, when drastically reduced revenues require public and private organizations to make hard choices. Tax incentives, infrastructure upgrade and regulatory relief can encourage business growth, but they each have their cost: incentives and infrastructure cost the other taxpayers money, and regulatory relief often has a negative impact on their quality of life. How much of this cost are we willing to pay? Hopefully, it will depend on the priority level established by the Board, if they are able to – and choose to – take on that responsibility.