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State needs to step up marketing efforts, lawmakers told Saturday, Jun 9, 2007 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas' economic development director told lawmakers Friday that the state needs to be more aggressive in its marketing efforts to attract new industry. "I don't think we've been aggressive in the past," Maria Haley told the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee while discussing the state's recent failure to lure superprojects. "Unfortunately, until this session, we could not compete effectively," Haley said, adding that she appreciated the economic incentive measures approved by the Legislature during the recently completed session. Haley, who was named executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission this year by Gov. Mike Beebe, said her office is developing a new strategy that will target specific industries, including companies that make automobile components along with "knowledge-based" companies. Haley said Arkansas had difficulty competing for a Toyota SUV plant that recently went to Tupelo, Miss., and for a steel plant that went to Alabama because those states offered high-dollar incentives. Alabama offered nearly $1 billion in incentives to lure the steel mill and Mississippi offered about $300 million in incentives for the Toyota plant, she said. She said Arkansas could only offer about $200 million in incentives. During the recently completed legislative session, Haley said the Legislature was able to give her agency some of the tools necessary to recruit big industries. One of the tools was an income tax credit, or sales and use tax credit, for technology-based start-up companies with payrolls of $250,000 or more and wages of at least 175 percent of the state or county average. During the session, the Legislature also passed the Arkansas Alternative Fuels Development Act, which provides more than $10 million in grants to distribute to companies that produce alternative fuels. Lawmakers also reduced the sales tax on utilities that manufacturers pay by 2 percent over the next two years. After Haley's comments Friday, Rep. Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City, urged more support of tourism as an industry, especially in Southeast Arkansas. Rep. J.R. Rogers, D-Walnut Ridge, said he recently was in Dyess, where legendary country singer Johnny Cash grew up and noticed there were no signs indicating the city's connection to the singer. "I think we're missing the boat," he said, adding that community could benefit greatly from increased tourism. |
