Pence, Gregg JibJab over jobs

By Rick Yencer

MUNCIE, IN -  Republican Mike Pence wants to partner business and universities to create more entrepreneurial and technology based ventures that will create jobs while Democrat John Gregg wants to invest in Indiana when it comes to banking state funds and handing out tax incentives to companies.

 The JibJab over jobs and the economy in the Indiana governor's race  this week comes as employment seems to be rising national along with building  permits also going up this summer.

 Gregg, former speaker of the Indiana House, wants to protect taxpayers in economic development deals besides strengthen Indiana banks and companies.

  His plan, announced on the steps of the Indiana Statehouse, would end no strings attached to taxpayer money gifts to out of state companies and ensure fairness and transparency for all Indiana Economic Development Corp. incentive packages. Gregg also wants to close loopholes in the law that will give local businesses the chance to compete for state funds.

 The state's package of investing in Wall Street banks also will end as Gregg wants to divert those investments to state banks. And he wants to create an Indiana Capital Investment Corp. to invest in private equity and venture capital funds that agree to establish a presence in Indiana. And state law will be proposed to invest part of the Indiana's pension funds in those Indiana based venture capital funds.

 Pence  an Indiana congressman, speaking at King Systems in Noblesville, pushed to create a partnership between life science companies and university leaders to launch an industry driven applied research institute called the Indiana Applied Research Enterprise.

 And he proposed a new Executive  Innovation Network of governor-appointed business executives, entrepreneurs, investors and university executives to bring more investment and faster commercialization to discoveries made at state universities.

 Indiana's life sciences contributes more than $44 billion yearly to the state's economy and has another $330 billion in market potential according to a study for BioCrossroads.

 Pence also wants help from business to host a yearly national site selection conference.

 "If we want more jobs and better jobs, we have to launch and attract more high growth, high impact firms," he said.

 Gregg also thinks Pence could work on some job creation right now by passing a farm aid bill for agriculture in Indiana devastated by the drought and loss of half the state's corn production.