Washington Business Fall 2012 | Page 8

“Washington’s schools can’t solve our education problems on their own. AWB has promoted public-private partnerships to provide science, technology, engineering, and math education that will fuel Washington’s economy into the next century. It’s working.” Phillip C. Ohl, President Vista Engineering Technologies, Tri-Cities Our State’s Business Climate is Tough. But you can do something about it. Developing a skilled workforce is essential to rebuilding our state’s economy. All across Washington state, employers and business owners are finding new ways to connect with K-12 and higher education to ensure students are prepared to meet the demands of today’s changing workplace. Any hope of a sustained recovery rests with private sector job growth — a critical piece to solving our state’s significant, recurring budget woes. Lawmakers must take particular care not to jeopardize a restart of our economy by piling additional tax and regulatory costs on employers. Policymakers should instead be considering incentives that will help retain and recruit employers and jobs. That’s why AWB is encouraging greater support for private employers, workforce training and job creation across the state. We can’t control the ups and downs of our economy. But we can promote a more business-friendly climate in Washington state. #wemeanbusiness To help ensure your voice is heard in Olympia, visit www.AWB.org and click on “We Mean Business.”