Bonfiglio:

Kalamazoo County Treasurer

 

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Bonfiglio understands . . .
The Economic Challenges We Face

It sounds trite to say that the global economy is raising the stakes for everyone, everywhere. But, we in Kalamazoo County know only too well the truth of this statement. Painful downsizings and corporate mergers plagued us in the 1990s and created a climate of uncertainty about our economic future. While we are currently enjoying a vibrant economy amidst the greatest boom in American history, most would agree that Kalamazoo County's economic future remains unsettled at best. The new, technology-driven global economy requires that our county's leaders take a more active approach in responding to the changing economic realities. It's either that, or face an unpleasant decline in the high quality of life which we have come to expect here.

Competition on an International Scale

The most important thing to understand about businesses in our new economy is this: Increasingly, businesses can locate anywhere in the world. Electronic commerce, lower trade barriers, free movement of capital and information across borders, and the continuous drop in shipping costs make it necessary for even the most staid industrial corporation to reconsider regularly where to do business. We can't afford to take for granted that the companies we have now will be here forever.

Bonfiglio Brief:

"In order to attract and retain businesses we must make a conscious effort to preserve those things which make our community a great place for business—and a great place to live. That's because more and more business owners and managers know that in order to attract top-notch people, they must locate their operations in communities with a high quality of life. And, that means that our local communities must now focus on both economic growth and quality of life or risk losing both in the end."

Attracting Businesses to Kalamazoo County

If businesses can increasingly locate anywhere in the world, we must find ways to make Kalamazoo County attractive to them. Our county will be judged in three broad categories: 1) the quality of our infrastructure, 2) the caliber of our people, and 3) the overall quality of life in our community.

Infrastructure

As it turns out, we have an excellent physical infrastructure that has shown itself capable of attracting world-class businesses. We have good roads with easy access to major highways, ample land for development, and affordable, high-quality utilities. But, we need to improve the business environment by making it easier for companies to deal with the county and its many municipalities.

People

The caliber of our people is first-rate. We have a well-educated and well-trained work force and, we have excellent institutions of higher education. But we need to emphasize lifelong learning if we expect to meet the demands of this rapidly changing global economy.

Quality of Life

Finally, the overall quality of life in our county is very high. We are fortunate to have diverse choices for living—urban, suburban, village and rural. We also have a bounty of cultural assets such as the Kalamazoo Symphony and the Civic Theatre. And, we have superb recreational assets including our parks, lakes and natural areas. In addition, our thriving neighborhoods, good schools and safe streets are things we must protect and never take for granted. That's because quality of life is becoming ever more crucial to attracting businesses. And so, we must work hard to make our county a place where people want to come not only to make a living, but also to make a life for themselves and their families.

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