McAuliffe forms economic development steering committee

Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Wednesday the creation of a steering committee to help diversify the commonwealth’s economy.

McAuliffe’s executive order creates the New Virginia Economy Strategic Plan and Steering Committee, which will outline McAuliffe’s economic development plan for Virginia over his gubernatorial term.

The committee, which will be led by Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones, will be charged with developing a proposal by Dec. 1.

The committee will be made up of most of McAuliffe’s Cabinet. The order instructs the group collect input from economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and business leaders in the commonwealth.

The committee is tasked with addressing five economic development priorities, including:

1)      Infrastructure: ensuring Virginia’s assets and resources, such as health care, energy, housing and broadband are ready to attract businesses;
2)      Diversifying the economy: creating an environment that attracts high-growth industries;
3)      Business climate: evaluating Virginia’s tax, regulatory and incentive policies
4)      Innovation: pursuing policies and public-private partnerships that encourage entrepreneurship;
5)      Workforce: aligning Virginia’s higher education system priorities with in-demand skill sets.