Rural Business Advisory Council

Statement

It's great to be in Yuma today -- an appropriate place to celebrate significant investments to advance the rural areas of our great state.

By Executive Order today, I'm establishing a Rural Business Advisory Council. This council will identify business development best practices to advance rural communities across our entire state and create more quality jobs.

The council will make recommendations to the Arizona Commerce Authority board, and it will oversee the use of funds I'm committing to advance community projects across our state -- creating the jobs of our future.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be identifying business leaders from Arizona's 15 counties to serve on this council.

We must have the hands-on experts from our rural areas -- people who understand the unique approaches and challenges of growing businesses and creating jobs.

My goal is to advance rural areas, establish necessary infrastructure, and help these areas compete for quality jobs in the global economy.

Last fiscal year, two hundred and twenty six thousand dollars were invested in rural economic development through Commerce grant programs.

That was a good start, but it was not enough.

Now is the time to make a serious commitment to rural Arizona.

So, today, I'm dedicating two million dollars through my economic development stimulus funds for a new rural approach.

My Commerce Authority and the Rural Business Advisory Council will work with Arizona's Council of Governments to identify local projects that will lead to job creation. Leveraged with local resources we can truly begin to advance local economies, sustain businesses, increase revenue and create jobs.

And, let me make it clear -- the Arizona Commerce Authority will continue to provide ongoing support for rural economic development with an emphasis on business attraction, expansion and retention.

With this comprehensive approach, Arizona's diverse regions will identify unique and critical economic development opportunities -- and have access to funding to make a difference.

I have a passion for our rural communities, our rural businesses -- truly a fabric of our state.

I'm committed to diversifying economies, bringing in new business, and -- most importantly -- creating jobs for Arizonans.

What we start here in Yuma today will be good for each rural community, for the surrounding regions, for the businesses, and for the economic health of our great State.

I look forward to celebrating the successes we will accomplish in the year ahead with this investment in rural Arizona -- as the Arizona Comeback continues.

Thank you.

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