SALT LAKE CITY — Announcing his plan to grow Utah's economy and increase employment, gubernatorial candidate Peter Corroon said he wants to be "the jobs governor."
Corroon, who is now Salt Lake County's mayor, unveiled his strategy to a room packed full of reporters Wednesday at Silver State Textiles, a family-owned business at 1010 W. 2610 South.
The plan would expand Utah's economy, he said, by focusing on creating jobs immediately for Utahns, capitalizing on Utah's unique location in the West and investing in Utah's human capital. His plan also would focus on the state's high-growth powerhouse industries and create a strong backbone of government that would support economic growth.
"With the highest unemployment rate we have faced in 26 years, the time to act is now," Corroon said. "Create jobs right now, right here — not just in the future."
Corroon's plan focuses on expanding jobs quickly by taking several steps: creating a new-jobs tax credit awarded to businesses for every newly created job that pays an above-average wage, requiring employers who receive state funds to hire Utahns, closing out corporate welfare given to firms that are not creating new jobs in the state or don't need incentives and requiring major firms that win state contracts to subcontract a good portion of the work to Utah businesses.
Other segments of Corroon's plan call for investing in infrastructure like roads and broadband networks, working with new international partners and capitalizing on the tourism industry.
"Our mountains, valleys and canyons cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world," he said. "If only people knew."
An educated, well-trained work force is of utmost importance, Corroon said, as are high-growth powerhouse industries "where we have the best chances to build sustainable, high-wage jobs."
There is an excellent future in Utah for groundbreaking dot-coms, as well as companies working in aerospace and defense, life sciences, biotech, nutraceuticals, film, agriculture and food processing, and energy and manufacturing, he said.
"I haven't seen a plan from our governor," said Corroon.
In response, Angie Welling, spokeswoman for Gov. Gary Herbert, told the Deseret News, "Contrary to Peter Corroon's comments, Utah is truly focusing on the jobs of the future, today. The governor encourages Mr. Corroon to visit with his staff in the Governor's Office of Economic Development and discover what Utah is truly doing to create an environment that is conducive to business."
Corroon said he believes state leaders have spent too much time focusing on "the big, the outdated and elsewhere."
"We need leadership who recognizes what can help us build on the traditional Utah values we already have in place, so we can create a brighter future for our (residents)," he said.
Welling said that under Herbert's leadership, jobs are being created in Utah. In the 2010 fiscal year, corporate recruitment incentive awards from the Governor's Office of Economic Development have resulted in the creation of 3,386 jobs, nearly $3 billion in new state wages, about $250 million in capital investment and $260 million in new state revenue, she said.
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