|
GENERAL
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is
the most significant roadblock to economic development in the region?
|
%
|
|
Corporate
downsizing
|
6
|
|
Skilled
workforce
|
32
|
|
Investment in
R&D
|
6
|
|
Access to
early stage venture capital
|
11
|
|
Community
will
|
15
|
|
Current state
of the economy
|
24
|
|
Other
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
In your
opinion, the most important trend driving the economy in the next 10
years is going to be:
|
%
|
|
Tax policies
|
9
|
|
Aging of the
Baby Boom generation
|
31
|
|
Global
developments (e.g. terrorism)
|
23
|
|
Technology
innovation
|
34
|
|
Other
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
If you
were in the U.S. Congress, which of the following would you address
first?
|
%
|
|
Pension
reform / retirement security
|
6
|
|
Health care
reform / affordable health insurance
|
56
|
|
Regulatory
reform / modernization
|
10
|
|
Increasing
access to capital
|
5
|
|
Tax reform /
relief
|
14
|
|
More
procurement opportunities for small business
|
7
|
|
Other
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
In your
opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing entrepreneurs?
|
%
|
|
Cash flow
|
15
|
|
Current
economic conditions
|
27
|
|
Finding and
keeping high quality employees
|
22
|
|
Financing
|
24
|
|
Managerial
duties
|
5
|
|
Sales
|
3
|
|
Other
|
3
|
|
I don't know
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
What is
the largest barrier to starting your own business?
|
%
|
|
Access to
financing / capital
|
61
|
|
Access to
markets
|
12
|
|
Access to
networks
|
1
|
|
Lack of
information / support
|
16
|
|
Self esteem
issues
|
1
|
|
Time -
balancing business with personal life
|
9
|
|
Other
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
Which of
these would make the biggest difference in promoting entrepreneurship?
|
%
|
|
Eliminate
infrastructure barriers to capital access, social networks, etc
|
35
|
|
Enhance the
skills and capacity of support organizations
|
14
|
|
More
entrepreneurship classes for colleges
|
8
|
|
Inspire
students toward business and entrepreneurship
|
8
|
|
Inspire
students toward science, technical majors and entrepreneurship
|
20
|
|
Mentoring
program for entrepreneurs
|
11
|
|
Promote
strong role models
|
2
|
|
Other
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
VISION
|
|
|
|
|
|
How
strongly can your community connect with this vision?
|
%
|
|
Not at all
|
3
|
|
-
|
1
|
|
Slightly
|
16
|
|
-
|
0
|
|
Moderately
|
40
|
|
-
|
3
|
|
Very
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
How
feasible is this vision for eastern Georgia?
|
%
|
|
Not feasible
|
0
|
|
-
|
0
|
|
Slightly
feasible
|
7
|
|
-
|
4
|
|
Moderately
feasible
|
52
|
|
-
|
7
|
|
Extremely
feasible
|
29
|
|
|
|
|
In your
opinion, what is the first step in attracting new businesses to the
region?
|
%
|
|
A skilled
workforce
|
46
|
|
Advanced
telecommunications
|
1
|
|
Efficient
transportation
|
19
|
|
Excellent
schools
|
24
|
|
Safe
neighborhoods
|
1
|
|
Quality
health care
|
2
|
|
An appealing
civic life
|
5
|
|
Other
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
|
|
|
|
|
|
Does your
community have an active strategy to help local entrepreneurs?
|
%
|
|
Yes
|
34
|
|
No
|
44
|
|
Unsure
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
Entrepreneurs
are born, not made
|
%
|
|
Strongly
agree
|
13
|
|
Aree
|
20
|
|
Unsure
|
4
|
|
Disagree
|
41
|
|
Strongly
disagree
|
21
|
|
|
|
|
Entrepreneurs
are gamblers
|
%
|
|
Strongly
agree
|
25
|
|
Aree
|
34
|
|
Unsure
|
3
|
|
Disagree
|
33
|
|
Strongly
disagree
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
Entrepreneurs
are lone rangers
|
%
|
|
Strongly
agree
|
11
|
|
Aree
|
31
|
|
Unsure
|
3
|
|
Disagree
|
40
|
|
Strongly
disagree
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
Entrepreneurs
are money-driven
|
%
|
|
Strongly
agree
|
23
|
|
Aree
|
34
|
|
Unsure
|
0
|
|
Disagree
|
37
|
|
Strongly
disagree
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
Will you
now go back and ensure that your community is encouraging and
supporting entrepreneurs?
|
%
|
|
Yes
|
95
|
|
No
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
AGRICULTURE
|
|
|
Develop and
maintain property tax incentives favorable to producing farmland
|
6.8
|
|
Insist on
representation on local Economic Development Committees/Boards, and
planning or strategy groups with actual agricultural producers
|
6.8
|
|
Create
opportunities to bridge gap between rural and suburban/urban
population to gain greater appreciation and awareness of agriculture's
economic and social impact
|
6.6
|
|
Educate
public on the benefits of the federal farm policy to prevent
assumption of 'welfare'
|
6.5
|
|
Support
value-added efforts for agriculture processing
|
7.1
|
|
Assisting
agriculture export capabilities
|
6.4
|
|
|
|
|
HIGHER
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
|
|
|
Encourage
partnerships
|
7.8
|
|
Integrate
learning systems B-D
|
7.0
|
|
Reassess how
we measure academic success
|
6.9
|
|
Incorporate
life skills and vocational technical training
|
7.4
|
|
Utilize
military retirees
|
7.1
|
|
|
|
|
LIFE
SCIENCES
|
|
|
Innovative
approaches to education for healthcare workers
|
7.4
|
|
New programs
to train life sciences technologists
|
7.4
|
|
Preventative
healthcare programs with an emphasis of maintaining and improving
health
|
7.7
|
|
Life Science
business incubators, multi-tenant spaces, and research parks
|
7.0
|
|
Regional
investment funds for life science entrepreneurs
|
7.0
|
|
Regional SBIR
offices with experienced experts to assist with proposal drafting and
matching funds
|
6.5
|
|
Cancer Center
of Excellence for Augusta / Athens
|
8.0
|
|
|
|
|
BRAC
|
|
|
Create a
unified community effort
|
7.8
|
|
Create
community awareness: BRAC & BRAC Process, Economic Impact, Support
for military/families, Maximize partnerships
|
7.8
|
|
Complete
community and installation assessments
|
7.5
|
|
Create sound
DC Connection: Political & Department of Defense
|
7.7
|
|
Acquire
funding/services-in-kind
|
7.1
|
|
Have a backup
plan
|
7.9
|
|
|
|
|
PROTECTING
EXISTING INDUSTRIES
|
|
|
Local:
Identify and promote innovation needs of existing manufacturers
|
7.5
|
|
Regional:
Develop opportunities to link manufacturers with common problems and
interests
|
7.2
|
|
State:
Encourage statewide attention to the need to foster innovation in
existing industries
|
7.1
|
|
Federal:
Support federal programs to assist manufacturers, include under new
assistant secretary for manufacturing
|
6.5
|
|
|
|
|
TRANSPORTATION
& AIRPORT EXPANSION
|
|
|
More money
back from the motor fuel tax.
|
7.6
|
|
Tax
incentives for business / industry with necessary monitoring to
attract industry and jobs to the region
|
7.0
|
|
Completion of
the Regional Interstate system including the Savannah River Parkway
and Fall Line Freeway
|
8.1
|
|
Increase
public awareness and support for transportation capital improvement
projects (e.g. aviation plant/mechannig technical schools)
|
6.4
|
|
Craft a
strategic plan with a prioritized timeline and identified financial
requirements for aviation expansion and rail-line and highway
improvements.
|
7.4
|
