A state report card created by a Nebraska Chamber of Commerce sub-committee is inspiring Nebraskans to share ideas of how to make the state ever greater for future generations.
Generated to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the chamber, the 2012 Progress Report ranks the state in nine categories covering 80 bench mark sub-categories. Using statistics collected from U.S. Census and other sources, the report sizes up where Nebraskans stand compared with other states across the country in per capita personal income, cost of living, population, violent crime and other significant benchmarks.
The purpose of the report, which was released earlier this month in the Hastings Tribune and other publications across the state and online at www.NEProgressReport.com, is to let Nebraskans know where they stand, for better and for worse. From here, observers are encouraged to extract the information from the report and use it to formulate ideas on how to improve the state.
Thus far, 144 ideas have been submitted to NebraskaIdeas.com, the website dedicated to gathering ideas for the chamber’s Forging Nebraska’s Future committee to consider in 2013. Results from the 90-day submission period will be narrowed to the 100 best ideas by the committee, which is comprised of 10 people representing the state’s diverse business community interests. Of the 10 committee members, five are under 35 years of age by design to represent the future faces of business in Nebraska.
From there, the top four to seven ideas will be introduced as goals the state should seriously consider implementing at the chamber’s annual meeting on Feb. 7, 2013, in Lincoln.
Richard Baier, executive vice president of Forging Nebraska’s Future, said the process will enable the business community and chamber to partner in making the state a more attractive place to work, live and do business. And that, he said, is an idea everyone here can sink his or her teeth into.
“Making Nebraska even better than it is, now that’s something we can all agree upon,” he said. “Just from the number of people we see going online, we feel really positive about it. We want to encourage everyone in Nebraska, especially educators, to participate. They can make it a class project: ‘If you didn’t live in Nebraska, what would make it better to live here?’
A pair of economic forums slated for Nov. 12 in La Vista and Nov. 13 in Kearney will give Nebraskans an opportunity to share their ideas with other creative-minded individuals and Forging Nebraska’s committee. The forums will include input from nationally recognized speakers who’ll discuss ways the state can maximize economic development opportunities to impact its competitive position. Registration information is available online at NebraskaIdeas.com.
Topics expected to be addressed at the forums include student loan debt, cost of living, population by age bracket and how to retain young Nebraskans in the workplace. Baier is hopeful the information disseminated will give Forging Nebraska’s committee the tools it needs to implement projects that will help invigorate Nebraska businesses for years to come.
“We’re trying to get our fellow Nebraskans to put on their thinking caps and give us their best idea on how to make Nebraska even better for the next generations,” he said. “We want to encourage dialogue and creative thinking and see if we can come up with what we consider next generation ideas, things we should really put in place or do to make Nebraska better.”
To read more, see Tuesday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
