Economist Larry Swanson: Missoula lags behind other cities when it comes to the crucial elements of sustainable and focused economic development

“I think we are stuck in how we think about ourselves, and we are stuck where we were 20 years ago when we were a natural resources-based economy,” Swanson said. “We aren’t recognizing that cities have become the dominant asset and the dominant engine for economic change, growth and advancement in Montana.

“We neglect these cities, the very engines of economic advancement, and most of the people who live in this state live within 50 miles of our cities,” he said.

“Missoula is one of those cities, and we need to really think hard about our future and what we want to be known for – what we want to be proud of.”

Last week, as economist Larry Swanson guided his audience through a sea of charts detailing Missoula’s economic trends, a noticeable reaction rippled through the forum when Swanson paused at a series of graphs that told divergent stories.

Despite Missoula’s vigorous expansion in the past two decades, the Garden City is slipping in several important categories, Swanson told the city’s business community.

To put it bluntly, Missoula has become a growing center of commerce with a highly educated workforce, but it has notably low wages and high poverty rates. This scenario means Missoula, for all its amenities and allure, is trailing Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls and Helena in terms of economic health and the degree to which we are improving.

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At the economic forum last week, which attracted hundreds of community leaders, business representatives and concerned citizens, Missoula’s educational community was absent.

“When Jane Karas asked for a show of hands in the audience to see what sector of the community they represented, there was not a single educator in the room,” Ametsbichler said. “I thought it was pretty gutsy of her to do that – and the room looked around and duly noted the absence of our university and educational professionals.”

By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2009/05/03/news/local/news03.txt

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View a PowerPoint presentation from the Missoula spring economic forum http://www.missoulian.com/123-2009/businessforum.ppt

MCAT will be showing the full video of the event

(Bresnan Channel 11):

May 17 @ 8pm

May 26 @6pm

May 29 @ 8am

June 2 @ 6pm

June 5 @ 8am

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The Kauffman Foundation Index Of Entrepreneurial Activity Ranks Montana 3rd in the Nation. Why isnt’ this great news? http://matr.net/article-34151.html

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Missoula, Montana resilient during recession – At forum, statistics show city good place to live http://matr.net/article-34083.html

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There’s going to be a growing effort to develop a Missoula Economic Blueprint. It will need input from every citizen interested in securing a better economic future for Missoula. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Dick King, CEO of the Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation http://www.maedc.org (406) 728-3337

There will also be an excellent conference that will help us learn how to better retain and attract creative and successful businesses in Missoula and Western Montana. "IEDC Business Retention And Expansion Course, 5/12-13, Missoula, Montana" http://matr.net/events.phtml?showdetail=2719