Study on Effects of Minnesota's Economic Development Subsidy Accountability Law to Be Released Thursday at Capitol in St. Paul

10/7/2003

From: Greg LeRoy, 202-626-3780 ext. 27 Anne Nolan, 612-879-7515 both of Good Jobs First

News Advisory:

A major new study reviewing events since Minnesota enacted its first-in-the-nation economic development accountability law in 1995 will be released Thursday, October 9th at a noon press conference at the State Office Building.

The 77-page report is based on a detailed survey of economic development professionals from Minnesota's 25 largest cities and from 25 smaller cities around the state, as well as interviews with members of the state's Corporate Subsidy Reform Commission. The study also tracks the volume of news media coverage, litigation issues, and other high-profile development disputes. Finally, it explores how cities are changing the way they do development deals as a result of greater levels of civic engagement since the law was passed.

The study is especially timely given the current debate around Gov. Pawlenty's JOBZ program. As well, the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Economic Development Association of Minnesota gather for a three-day conference beginning Wednesday October 8th in Bloomington.

SPEAKERS:

Anne Nolan, Good Jobs First's Minneapolis staff and primary author of the study

John Hottinger, Senate Majority Leader and three-time sponsor

Karen Clark, State Representative and House reform sponsor (invited)

C. Scott Cooper, Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action, reform advocates

DATE: Thursday, October 9, 2003

TIME: 12 noon CDT

PLACE: State Office Building, Room 181, St. Paul

Good Jobs First is a non-profit, non-partisan research center promoting best practices in economic development, based in Washington, D.C. This is GJF's third major study on economic development in Minnesota in five years.