Governor Easley’s Plan for Economic Growth

North Carolina’s economic picture is improving. Last year, our state added jobs, while the nation lost jobs. Many of our families, however, are still struggling to find work and we owe it to them to do everything we can to grow jobs in our state. While we cannot control globalization and trade policies, these economic times require that we redouble our efforts to recruit and retain jobs and industry. Although the national economic situation and our national trade policy are outside of our direct control, we have done some things in a bipartisan manner to improve North Carolina’s economy. Here is what Governor Easley is doing:

Job Development Grant Program
Created the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program that has provided the winning edge over national competition to land major projects including Infineon Technologies, General Dynamics and R. H. Donnelley.

Easley Announces New Initiative to Focus on Rural Economic Growth
Gov. Mike Easley joined Billy Ray Hall, the president of the N.C. Rural Center, to announce today the establishment of the Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship to stimulate and support small business development and entrepreneurship in the state's 85 rural counties.

Major Roads Bill Signed
Invested in crucial physical infrastructure through support for the Moving Ahead! Program, for the Wilmington port harbor deepening, and for our university and community college facilities. These investments pay off both through the initial creation of 100,000 jobs related to construction and through the ongoing improvements in the commerce of moving goods and people.

NC Governor Sees Potential for State's Biotech Sector
Provided funding through the Golden LEAF has been able to commit over $60 million to support a first of its kind, world-class biomanufacturing training initiative at our universities and community colleges, at a time when other states are cutting back their investments in biotechnology.

Easley Prevents Tax Rise
Froze the unemployment insurance tax rate, saving employers $100 million over the next year.

Easley Announces $11 Million Grant to Retool High Schools
Worked with the Gates Foundation to create new, smaller high schools across the state that will provide personal instruction for students interested in specific fields of business.

Grant Program to Focus on Worker Skills
The state of North Carolina has launched a work-force program that will provide $3 million in federal grant money to help businesses train employees and become better global competitors.