Louisiana is reorganizing its economic development program and hopes to make its work-force development programs more accessible and flexible. In March, the economic development reorganization task force released its recommendations for restructuring the Louisiana Dept. of Economic Development. The task force recommended that the Louisiana Economic Development Fund be combined with the Economic Development Award program and the Workforce Development funds. This will provide a more streamlined means for businesses to access the state's work force as well as the financial and infrastructure funds.
      In July 2000, The Louisiana Economic Development Council (LAEDC) presented to the state its "Action Plan 2000" to begin implementation of Louisiana: Vision 2020, the new long-term economic development plan approved by the state in 1999. The group's action plan recommended the state develop a strategic plan and implement available programs for the universities, community and technical colleges, and secondary schools to provide training for jobs in the targeted areas (information, environmental, food, biomedical technologies as well as advanced materials and micromanufacturing) to train a qualified work force. LAEDC also suggested the state redirect K-12 and higher education funding to classrooms and to increase faculty salaries.
      Gov. Mike Foster is following these recommendations. With his 2001-2002 budget, he hopes to attract and retain top educators with a pay increase for all levels of teachers. For K-12, the state plans to provide $70 million from new MFP funds and an additional $70 million from gaming tax increases. The governor's executive budget provides $26 million for accountability and remediation. College faculty at state universities received a $33 million pay increase as well.
      Foster also proposed the Higher Education Business Council, a $1 billion higher education construction program initiative that would operate independently of the governor's office. The state will pay $200 million per year for the next five years.
      Another initiative would make major investments in the state's universities to make the economy more technology-driven. The governor has proposed to invest $25 million for electrical engineering, information and decision sciences, and computer science at Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of New Orleans, Louisiana Tech University and Southern University, as well as other regional universities.
      The state was capable of providing quality labor for Aggreko. The multinational utility service company announced it will build a $3 million headquarters office in New Iberia, La., instead of Houston, Texas. The company will retain nearly 200 workers in New Iberia and will likely add another 100 employees.
      Company officials cited the local work force as key to its decision to stay in Louisiana. "Aggreko's five-year plan is to have 100 locations in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 1,500 employees, all centrally supported from New Iberia," says Terry Dressel, Aggreko's vice president for regional operations.