Transcript of Greg Goodnight's Economic Development Announcement

watch the announcement video | watch the z92.5 interview

Today I'm going to talk with you about a segment of my long term economic plan for Kokomo. It is indicative of our campaign theme: "Investing in People." It is a general concept and not an absolute blueprint.

As a working person who is also active in the community, I'm familiar with the demands of getting to work on time, meeting deadlines, and receiving a paycheck. I also see the importance of receiving an education, so that we can not only increase our income, but also improve the lives of our families, and ultimately our community.

As a City Council person, I see the impact of education on not just the work force, but also the livelihood of the people of Kokomo. We all know that education can improve our lives - the question to be answered is – How do we make education accessible and affordable?

I see where our local government can increase efficiency, but I'm also aware that we can find better ways to serve the disadvantaged and financially strapped families of our city. This is in everyone's best interest.

We must encourage, and lift up the families that have fallen through the cracks. Previous policies focused on limited economic growth, and viewed those that struggle financially as a deficit. I see them as a potential investment.

Here is how we can do it...

1. Child care is the single largest barrier that young adults with children face when making decisions to further their education. The City of Kokomo should make Kokomo's Early Learning Center available at low or no cost to city residents who are seeking further education, whether it be a GED or college classes. This will encourage education by offering child care after work hours, so parents have the time to attend classes and can be assured that their children are in safe hands.

2. Dependable transportation is yet another barrier to higher education that lower income residents face. The city of Kokomo can assist through our "First City Rider" program and provide low or no-cost transportation for transportation related specifically to expanding one's education.

3. Build strong community based partnerships with Kokomo Schools, the Literacy Coalition, Labor groups, Indiana Univ. Kokomo, and Ivy Tech Kokomo. This will bring new ideas and strategies to our plan and assist in determining the city's future economic and educational needs and the skills necessary to satisfy those needs.

4. Create financial incentives for adults living and working in the city who complete their GED or go back to school to further their education, and for teachers who focus on these groups.

5. Create an economic incentive program for small and large businesses that participate in the program, so that they not only improve their business, but they also take more ownership in our community and its residents.

6. Offer a partnership with our County Government to participate at all levels, if there is interest from county leaders, so that our entire community may benefit as well.

I will work day and night to make sure the families of Kokomo have access to the education they'll need to compete in today's global market, and not just for our children, but for adults as well. The change must start with us. And by showing determination and interest in educating ourselves, our children will learn by example, grow, and obtain the skills necessary to move our city forward.

Why does this matter? An individual's inability to find work that will pay a sufficient wage is driven, in part, by lack of education. About one-third of Indiana's work force lacks the skills needed to compete in today's modern job-market, which means they are more likely to place a strain on Indiana's and Kokomo's economies, and ultimately a strain on you – the taxpayer.