David Buchholz Quotations

Too often, economic development is thought of simply as recruiting big business away from other states. This report is a reminder that states must also focus investments on workers, education and business.

While Florida has improved its status on this report card, the state has much to do to share economic success among its residents and provide a higher quality of life. Florida is allocating few resources to prepare its residents to be part of the future work force. Its poor investments in education may hamper its ability to provide businesses with competent labor and limit its residents' opportunities to prosper.

Fewer businesses in Ohio are closing and the new businesses that are being created generate more jobs than in other states, but Ohio is among the worst for fostering new companies, and that reality shows in the employment numbers.

North Carolina is still reeling from mass layoffs despite better-than-average job growth.

Increased investment in infrastructure and continued investment in human resources are needed to better leverage the state's strong capital availability and solid research and development capacity.

In recent years, North Dakota has consistently improved its investments in its people and resources with an eye toward future economic growth. But there is still a long way for the state to go to catch up.

Colorado is still dealing with the legacy of past years as unemployment remains stubbornly high. Additionally, while having one of the highest percentages of households headed by college graduates, Colorado ranks near the bottom in high school completion rates.