The Racine County EDP was originally drafted in 2002 and serves as the blueprint for future economic development in Racine County. The original EDP, as well as the EDP 2.0, was approved by the Racine County Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC) Board of Directors and the Racine County Board of Supervisors.
The most recent version of the Plan, the draft EDP 3.0, was completed in May 2005 and is provided here for your comments. Please rate each of the eight challenges and their accompanying strategies and provide any comments that you feel are appropriate.
Thank you for your interest in the future of Racine County.
Sincerely,
Gordy Kacala
Executive Director
Racine County Economic Development Corporation
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CHALLENGE ONE:
To create an entrepreneurial culture in Racine County.
Strategies:
a. Ensure a comprehensive system of entrepreneurial services that reflect the transfer and commercialization of state-of-the-art technology for both value-added and neighborhood businesses.
b. Work to create an entrepreneurial culture in Racine County, with special emphasis on students.
c. Ensure that minority entrepreneurs are provided with appropriate training that will enable them to start successful small businesses.
d. Implement specific action-items that resulted from the April, 2005
Minority Business Summit.
e. Continue to link workforce development with entrepreneurship through the programs and services that are provided at the Racine County Workforce Development Center.
f. Commit to responsive and entrepreneurial government.
g. Ensure an adequate on-ongoing source of capital for business planning and new business start-ups.
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CHALLENGE TWO:
To recognize the importance of technology and innovation to the growth of existing businesses and the attraction of new businesses.
Strategies:
a. Design a business retention and attraction program for Racine County that is based on: (1) industries with a recent history of competitiveness and export orientation and, (2) emerging industries that show a potential for future growth.
b. Focus the resources of the Center For Advanced Technology and Innovation on becoming a national center for commercializing intellectual property (focusing on late-stage private industry research and development).
c. Provide funding and technical assistance to existing growth industry companies in order to improve their competitiveness and viability.
d. Focus on the retention and recruitment of a talented workforce necessary to meet the labor force needs of targeted industries.
e. Continue to maintain existing and develop new business clusters that represent growth industries through the Southeast Wisconsin Industry Alliance.
f. Continue the aggressive menu of national speaker and networking events that aligns with technology, innovation and growth industries, as well as other challenges in the Racine County Economic Development Plan. When possible, partner with other organizations on a regional basis.
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CHALLENGE THREE:
To utilize the existing natural and cultural resources, recreational opportunities and business location advantages to promote a positive image of Racine County to existing residents and those outside the county.
Strategies:
a. Addressing the Economic Development Plan challenges requires community leaders (business, government, education, civic) who understand the key economic issues facing the county, and who are committed to addressing these challenges. Therefore, it is critical to develop and implement a countywide educational program/process which leads to engaged community leaders.
b. Continue the current internal and external Racine County marketing initiative that is funded by the Racine County Board of Supervisors and the private sector. The objective of this campaign is to promote a positive image of the county. The branding analysis completed in 2002 should continue to serve as the blueprint for the orientation of this initiative.
c. Work with local community development organizations in Racine County to ensure that the results of the branding study are included in the marketing strategies conducted by these organizations.
d. Engage the post-secondary education partners to identify and dispel inappropriate myths identified in the completed branding study that negatively impact the Racine County image.
e. Work with Racine County, local units of government and development-related organizations in Racine County to adopt the Economic Development Plan Update as economic development policy.
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CHALLENGE FOUR:
To take advantage of the development opportunities that exist as a result of the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor.
Strategies:
a. Provide high value real estate development opportunities that link Racine County with the Southeast Wisconsin Region and Northern Illinois focusing on those areas with market potential.
b. Implement the extension of commuter rail from Kenosha to Racine and Milwaukee by 2008.
c. Work with the post-secondary institutions to develop a model that will measure the impact (loss of jobs, tax base and personal income) of not providing for development opportunities throughout Racine County.
d. Ensure that east-west transportation routes in Racine County are adequate to serve current and future traffic volumes.
e. Investigate existing studies that determine the adequacy of public
transportation for serving the needs of low-and moderate-income persons
to access job opportunities in Racine County and throughout southeast
Wisconsin.
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CHALLENGE FIVE:
To properly link land use with future business development.
Strategies:
a. Use the Smart Growth Initiative to accelerate cooperative area-wide comprehensive planning that will reflect the economic development objective of new jobs, tax base and increases in personal income, as well as the need to preserve the natural environment.
b. Complete the current update to the Racine County Business Park Land Absorption Study and use the results of this study to plan for additional business park land in communities throughout Racine County.
c. Plan for value added commercial and industrial development in the I-94 and State Trunk Highway 36 corridors. Value added development refers specifically to activities that generate greater tax revenue through capital investment and higher-wage employment.
d. Continue to implement industrial and commercial redevelopment projects in communities throughout Racine County.
e. Continue the current countywide and local government initiates to streamline the private sector land development process.
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CHALLENGE SIX:
To improve education and workforce training in order to provide for the growth of the population and the economy.
Strategies:
a. Continue to engage the business community and economic development representatives in support of the implementation of the Quality District Model for Racine Unified School District.
b. Work with individual K-12 school districts and post-secondary educational institutions to develop a common understanding of their individual initiatives in addressing the challenges identified in the Economic Development Plan and seek to develop partnerships among the institutions that will enhance these initiatives.
c. Work with educational organizations to gain an understanding and awareness of future employment opportunities to be created by private companies and to provide training for students in these industries.
d. Provide employment and training services to individuals outside of traditional educational institutions that will enhance their employability.
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CHALLENGE SEVEN:
To create opportunities for low-income, disadvantaged and minority individuals. To maintain and increase employment in Racine County.
Strategies:
a. Create a comprehensive Racine central city economic development strategy.
b. Advocate for programs that will impact the high unemployment rates in the low-income and minority community.
c. Continue to work to retain local employers that are faced with the possibility of relocation.
d. Continue to work with partner organizations in support of initiatives that will create a stronger regional economy, thereby creating jobs for Racine County residents throughout all of Southeast Wisconsin.
e. Work with area legislators and statewide economic development partners to identify and address negative business location issues in Wisconsin.
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CHALLENGE EIGHT:
To foster a spirit of cooperation between eastern and western Racine County.
Strategies:
a. The Racine County Board should determine the manner in which this challenge will be addressed and the nature of the assistance from private sector leadership.
b. Identify and agree upon an appropriate solution to the joint dispatch issue in Racine County.
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