Economic development committee- meeting recap from October 7, 2020

On October 7m 2020, the WPPA Economic Development Committee met to discuss a variety of pressing topics in the economic development space. Chair Jim Rothlin convened the Economic Development Committee and reported that normally this committee would meet two times a year (at the WPPA Annual and Spring Meetings) for a discussion of economic development-related issues. However, due to a high number of issues that are evolving, it was decided that the committee would meet earlier in the fall for discussion.

Here are the issues that were covered:

· .09 funding for economic development

· Transportation projects discussion

· MTCA funding

· Tax Increment Financing (TIF) push for 2021

· Port to Port lending

· Ad Farms and group communication platform

Follow-up actions were identified:

1. TIF efforts would move to the WPPA Legislative Committee

2. WPPA staff would identify platform options for port group communications

3. Discussion of Port to Port lending would continue at the Spring Meeting

Next meeting of this committee would be at the WPPA Spring Meeting.