The hits just keep on coming for our Pacific Northwest corner. And when it comes to big-time hits in the form of praise for the way we do things here in Washington? Well, we take a back seat to no one!
Yes, Washington – our very own good old Evergreen State – has collected plenty of plaudits over the years from an array of academic, business and economic-development quarters. As a matter of fact, you might just want to check this Forbes site for the latest lowdown on how high up we stand in business rankings. But the very latest recognition comes from the Milken Institute, “an independent economic think tank whose mission is to improve the lives and economic conditions of people in the U.S. and around the world.” Milken’s 2010 State Technology and Science Index says we’re an impressive No. 6 among all the states.
State Rep. John McCoy, who chairs the House Technology, Energy & Communications Committee, said the new Technology and Science Index “reflects our commitment to building the type of academic and economic infrastructure we need to compete – and to win! – in the 21st century.” McCoy explained that these meticulous Milken ratings evaluate what Washington and other states are doing “in terms of creating high-quality, high-paying jobs and companies that will endure in the decades to come.”
This Milken ranking is based on almost 80 indicators, including our research hubs, industry clusters, and favorable business-tax and regulation policies. Chock-full of kudos for Washington, the complete title of this recent report is “2010 State Technology and Science Index: Enduring Lessons for the Intangible Economy.”
The top states are singled out for their estimable handling of “increasing pressure to nurture their own innovation assets in order to grow and sustain diverse economies for the future,” according to the laudatory report. “These top-ranked states have successfully invested in and are leveraging the tech and science assets that are the engines of 21st century economic growth.”
