 |
Factors
|
Importance
|
4
|
Energy costs and trends
|
28
|
35
|
Need for technically trained workers
|
28
|
44
|
Attracting new business to the region – film industry
|
28
|
5
|
Matching employer needs with qualified employees
|
27
|
34
|
Workforce development and educational training
|
27
|
38
|
High cost of doing business
|
27
|
39
|
Unpredictable and unfavorable tax structure
|
27
|
73
|
Attracting companies to spark economic growth
|
27
|
75
|
Economic incentive for new or existing businesses
|
27
|
79
|
Inadequate labor pool (e.g., aging of tradespersons and disinterest of emerging workforce)
|
27
|
26
|
Young residents leaving the region and the state
|
26
|
27
|
Loss of manufacturing jobs
|
26
|
30
|
High cost of energy
|
26
|
48
|
Technology as an economic driver
|
26
|
61
|
Infrastructure – adequate now? future?
|
26
|
76
|
Attitudes of community about development
|
26
|
1
|
Young residents are leaving the Region. Is this unique to NW? The State? Where are they going?
|
25
|
21
|
Transportation infrastructure. Does it support the current/future needs of Region?
|
25
|
22
|
State policy re: incentives for new businesses. Only for manufacturing. E.g., does NOT encourage entrepreneurs.
|
25
|
31
|
Energy availability
|
25
|
54
|
Increased government regulation
|
25
|
55
|
Limitations and/or aging infrastructure
|
25
|
84
|
Potential competitive advantage of the region to attract the emerging green economy
|
25
|
8
|
Planning/execution capacity of Region. Historically by individual town.
|
24
|
16
|
Affordable work force housing. (State definition = no more than 30% of income).
|
24
|
20
|
Education in the Region reflecting the needs of the Region?
|
24
|
25
|
Aging population
|
24
|
33
|
High cost of housing
|
24
|
40
|
Heavy reliance on residential property tax base
|
24
|
42
|
Economic viability of city centers
|
24
|
67
|
Quality of life (culture, art, restaurants)
|
24
|
81
|
Coordinated regional effort for economic development, not economic discouragement (Regional Econ. Development Czar)
|
24
|
7
|
Relocation of national/international companies to Region/CT.
|
23
|
12
|
Identification of “top 10 things” potential/future employers want.
|
23
|
15
|
Converting old structures to appealing places to work.
|
23
|
62
|
How do we bring young people back to the area? Who do we want to attract to this area?
|
23
|
65
|
Local educational access from elementary to college/higher ed. (including English language ed. For immigrants)
|
23
|
74
|
How do we ensure that we coordinate our efforts to get the area’s fair share of resources
|
23
|
83
|
Is a coordinated effort or what type of coordinated effort is best for the region?
|
23
|
3
|
Public transportation – regional and statewide. Future? Positive, negative or both?
|
22
|
19
|
CT tax structure. Impact. Does this affect Region more than rest of State?
|
22
|
29
|
Limited industrial sites
|
22
|
32
|
Rising health costs
|
22
|
66
|
Environmental regs. and concerns
|
22
|
80
|
Work ethic of new workers
|
22
|
14
|
Role of tourism in the Region.
|
21
|
17
|
Cost of land
|
21
|
18
|
Land use zoning regulations.
|
21
|
28
|
Brownfield issues
|
21
|
43
|
Effect of new retail stores on existing small businesses
|
21
|
51
|
Jobs of the future?
|
21
|
63
|
The future of healthcare
|
21
|
9
|
Capacity of NW Region to influence its own destiny vs. State influence.
|
20
|
50
|
Effect of emerging markets (energy usage, competition)
|
20
|
56
|
Business support organizations
|
20
|
72
|
Availability of investment capital
|
20
|
77
|
Availability of land
|
20
|
13
|
Role of the arts in the Region.
|
19
|
46
|
Internet & cell phone access and availability
|
19
|
58
|
Regional branding
|
19
|
41
|
Economic viability of farms –loss of farmland and open space
|
18
|
47
|
Emergency services volunteers
|
18
|
68
|
Childcare issues (costs and availability)
|
17
|
6
|
Loss of “job benefits” in the Region. Vs. State/US?
|
16
|
23
|
Internal and external perception of the Region. Perceived as “wealthy”, “in the middle of nowhere”, individual towns want to “keep their town a secret”
|
16
|
36
|
Longer commuting distances for local residents
|
16
|
53
|
National issues
|
16
|
59
|
Sprawl
|
16
|
69
|
The future of community involvement
|
16
|
78
|
Loss of State and Federal representation due to shrinking population
|
16
|
11
|
Defining roles each of the towns play in the Region – in every way
|
15
|
71
|
Political developments in foreign countries
|
15
|
64
|
Possibility of economic and racial separation
|
14
|
10
|
Determining the “center/focus” of efforts.(who and where?)
|
13
|
49
|
Consumer demand
|
13
|
60
|
Political change
|
13
|
52
|
Weather factors
|
12
|
82
|
Aging workers not retiring (failure to create openings for younger workers)
|
12
|
24
|
Changing values re: sustainability
|
11
|
57
|
Importing most of our food
|
11
|
37
|
Distance from other areas of the state
|
10
|
45
|
Challenges in tourism – casinos, high gas prices
|
10
|
70
|
Obesity
|
10
|
2
|
“Undocumented” residents/citizens. How do we get “accurate” data to determine the impact on the Region?
|
9
|