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There is a clear take-away from the current economic condition of the Tampa Bay region. We have learned that we cannot continue to grow for growth's sake alone. We must guide our prosperity through meaningful policy and investments in key economic drivers.
Through the thoughtful concepts of the Brookings Institution along with ideas generated from others like the Urban Land Institute, CEO's for Cities and Richard Florida, it is our understanding that economic prosperity is based on achieving three types of growth outcomes:
- Productive growth that boosts innovation, generates quality jobs and rising incomes, and helps Tampa Bay re-establish its economic leadership in the state and U.S.
- Inclusive growth that expands educational and employment opportunities, reduces poverty, and fosters a strong and diverse community.
- Sustainable growth that strengthens existing cities and communities, conserves natural resources, and advances Flroida's efforts to address alternative energy solutions.
Prosperity through productive, inclusive and sustainable growth is the desired outcome for Tampa Bay's future. The Tampa Bay Partnership believes that achieving this modelf or prosperity and growth requires our region to strategically invest in the institutions, people, and programs that produce those outcomes.
The four drivers to this success include the focus areas of:
- Innovation: The ability to conceive and develop new products, new servies, new technologies, new ways of organizing work, and new business models. Leading edge innovation in crucial to sustaining an economic advantage as well as generating the retaining high-quality jobs.
- Human Capital: Both edicated and skilled labor drives innovation and is a prerequisite for income growth, upward mobility, and access to opportunity.
- Infrastructure: Ranging from energy, roads, transit, water and ports to telecommunications networks, our communities infrastructure will dtermine how efficiently and rapidly goods, people, and informaiton move within and across markets. These choices can aslo improve air quality, conserve land and natural resources, and reduce consumption of gas and electricity.
- Quality Places: Dense, distinctive cities and compact suburbs rich in amenities, transportation and housing choices are essential to attracting and retaining innovative firms and talented workers, and growing in environmentally sustainable ways.
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