Future Assemblyman Looking For Input

David Bobzien is looking for ideas on Reno's economic future. I know this is kind of dry stuff (not nearly as entertaining as, say, a video of a rampaging Easter Bunny), but if you live in Northern Nevada it's vitally important.

Click here to read David's latest piece. Spurred by the the news that Apple Computers move to incorporate an asset management company in Nevada, David wants to get a discussion going. It's easy to tick off the number of tech-centric and other well-known companies that now have a presence in Reno thanks to Nevada's business-friendly regulatory scheme (Microsoft, Intuit, Amazon and now Apple), but as Bobzien cites a local economic development official as stating, all we're really doing so far is picking off the low-hanging fruit. Microsoft may run it's software licensing out of Reno, but everyone knows that the real work and innovation of the company goes on in Redmond, Washington. Locating software licensing oversight in Nevada brings us a handful of good jobs, but it's only a small step in the right direction.

I don't have any brilliant answers as to how we spur the economic diversification that we so desperately need, but I do know that we cannot have a secure, thriving middle class and a culturally vibrant community unless we escape the 'one industry town' mentality. Whenever I talk to anyone I work with or know in town about things that I consider positive, anything from attracting 21st century industries to landing a Triple-A baseball team, the reaction is always the same; they look at me with a patient, patronizing look that most of us save for the mentally challenged and say "This is Reno. That's not going to work here. Why would they come here when they could go to a REAL city? Just be happy that we have a bowling stadium." This attitude is the first thing that's got to change.

If you have any ideas, please talk to David. I know he wants to hear from you.