Blueprint Nebraska: A new initiative aimed at improving NE’s economy

KEARNEY, Neb. — Blueprint Nebraska is a statewide initiative bringing business leaders together to create an economic plan for Nebraska’s future.

“We need to hear from the voices of all Nebraskans to make certain this is successful,” said Blueprint Nebraska executive director, Jim Smith.

Organizers stress the Blueprint Nebraska initiative is not politically motivated, its not based on the University system, it’s simply for the improvement of the state.

“We want something that we can introduce to Nebraskans in 2019 and that we can actually put in place in a relatively short period of time,” said Smith.

Organizers said this urgency follows years of stagnant population growth alongside growing state costs.

“Population growth in this state is less than one percent, but the cost of operating this state, clearly hasn’t been growing less than one percent,” said Nebraska Chamber president, Bryan Slone.

Blueprint Nebraska is looking to change that.

“How many of our kids leave the state to go find careers else where,” said Slone.

The initiative organizers are addressing 16 areas of the economy, recognizing possible shortfalls within each of them, such as a lack of housing for young professionals.

“With workforce housing part of the bill that came through last year was houses up to 250,000 dollars,” said Senator John Lowe, District 37. “In my mind, that’s not a beginning house level, that’s an intermediate house level and it’s different in all areas.”

This is just one example why the initiate leaders are asking for help from everyone across the state.

“For us to really come up with the best solutions for economic growth in Nebraska, we have to embrace that diversity and we need to come up with a comprehensive plan that reaches every corner of the state of Nebraska,” said Smith.

To learn more, visit their website: https://blueprint-nebraska.org/how-this-works/

Courtesy: NTV