St. Tammany Parish Steering Committee

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St. Tammany Parish Steering Committee

• Strengths Weaknesses Assessment
• January 29, 2003

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Agenda

• Results of Leadership Survey
• Interview Findings Preliminary Strengths
  Weaknesses Report
• (Opportunities Threats will come later)
• Update on Leadership Workshop

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Leadership Survey

• 110 questions on
• Quality of Life
• Education
• Government
• Leadership
• Labor
• Transportation
• Utilities
• Real Estate
• Capital
• Markets

• Seventy responses out of 300 mailed (25
  response rate)

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Strengths
5
Weaknesses(In Reverse Rank Order)
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Interviews

• 30 confidential interviews in total
• 13 with major employers
• 3000 jobs
• Sample of manufacturing, headquarters,
  technology, office warehouse employers

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Overall Findings

• Many large locally controlled companies
• half launched by regional entrepreneurs
• Overall business climate in this region is rated
  as good by employers
• Quality of Life rated as excellent with few
  problems with national relocations
• Softness with scientists and advanced tech sector
  because of Louisiana image

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Labor Findings

• Labor market is excellent for offices and good
  for manufacturing
• No complaints about basic skills of applicants
• Productivity is rated as very good with little
  problems from turnover or absenteeism
• Some softness in IT because of small talent pool

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Labor Force Entrants

• The local labor market produces more applicants
  than commonly thought
• Job growth can exceed 2.5 percent without
  changing unemployment rates

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ANALYSIS OF COST OPERATING DATA
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OPERATING COSTS

• Gulf Coast Competitors
• Mobile
• Biloxi-Gulfport Hancock County, MS
• Houma
• Jackson
• Lafayette
• Baton Rouge
• New Orleans

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National Market Access

• Region not located to serve distribution
  sensitive companies

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Regional Market Access

• Eastern St. Tammany within 20 of Atlanta

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Gulf Coast Market Access

• Gulf Coast position is good

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Office Positions

•  

• Moderate cost with excellent talent pool

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Technology Positions

• Higher wages suggest a smaller talent pool

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Manufacturing Positions

• Moderate costs for manufacturing

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Power Costs

• Moderate costs except for the largest loads

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Occupancy Costs

• Moderate cost but limited inventory for office or
  plant

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Business Park Prices

• Higher prices than Dallas, Houston or Raleigh

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Water Wastewater

• Capacity is limited for business parks prices
  are high

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Construction Taxes

• Higher than MS in costs and double in property tax

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Overall Strengths Weaknesses

• Compiled From All Sources

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Strengths
IInterviews, Ccosts, LLeadership Survey,
Eemployers
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Neutrals
IInterviews, Ccosts, LLeadership Survey,
Eemployers
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Weaknesses
IInterviews, C costs, LLeadership Survey,
EEmployers
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STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

• Targeting (Threat Opportunities)
• Land Use evaluation
• Leadership workshop
• Economic development 101
• Socio-economic trends St. Tammany Parish
• Vision for the future a small-group consensus
  envisioning process
• Economic development priorities a small group
  process
• Path forward

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STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

• FINAL STRATEGY
• Development of strategic actions to address key
  economic development issues
• Review of vision, goals, and action plan by
  steering committee
• Initial draft for public review
• Public presentations for feedback
• Final plan