WHEREAS, current economic conditions pose new challenges and provide
new opportunities to New Jersey's economy; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey must meet these challenges and opportunities by
supporting the creation of high-quality jobs, particularly in fields related
to research and development; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey has a world-class industrial base and academic research
universities available to support new businesses in technology; and
WHEREAS, relationships between industrial and academic research in the
State must be strengthened to sustain New Jersey's economy; and
WHEREAS, creating a platform for academic and research excellence at
New Jersey's public universities in conjunction with the State's strong
industrial research sector will attract and enhance Federal and private
sector funding; and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive analysis of the available resources, coupled
with the development of a state-wide business plan, will strengthen New
Jersey's economy by promoting the resources upon which future businesses
will grow; and
WHEREAS, providing a strong foundation and mechanism for establishing
new companies and strengthening the support structure for existing ones
will stabilize New Jersey's economy through future technological changes;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. McGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New
Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
- There is hereby established the Commission on Jobs, Growth and Economic
Development, hereinafter referred to as the Commission.
- The Commission shall consist of up to 45 members appointed by the
Governor, including the Chief Executive Officer of the Commerce and Economic
Growth Commission and the Commissioner of Labor. The members of the Commission
shall be selected from among representatives of business and industry,
the research and high-technology sectors, higher education, the financial
industry sector; and persons familiar with these institutions as they
relate directly to State Government. The Governor shall appoint the Co-Chairs
of the Commission.
- It shall be the charge and duty of the Commission to accomplish the
following:
- Develop a blueprint for New Jersey's economic growth, including
the identification of opportunities for creating jobs for New Jersey's
citizens, particularly in the area of research and development,
in order to develop the high-technology sector and well-paid knowledge-based
jobs for New Jerseyans.
- Identify emerging technologies of strategic importance to New
Jersey and resources to support these emerging technologies in collaboration
with and for the benefit of both New Jersey's industrial and academic
sectors in order to maximize the investment of research dollars
in the State.
- Identify workforce training needs of New Jersey's high-technology
and industrial sector and develop strategies to foster and encourage better
coordination and training strategies to meet the needs of industry and
of New Jerseyans.
- The Commission shall report directly to the Governor, outlining specific
recommendations that address the charge and duty stated above with respect
to a plan for strengthening the economy and the creation of high-quality
jobs for the State of New Jersey.
- The Commission is authorized to call upon any department, office
or agency of State Government and any public institution of higher education
to provide such information, resources or other assistance deemed necessary
to discharge its responsibilities under this Order. Each department, office,
division and agency of this State and public institution of higher education
is hereby required to cooperate with the Commission and to furnish it
with such information, personnel and assistance as is necessary to accomplish
the purposes of this Order.
- Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, except
that they may receive per diem and travel expenses.
- This order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 15th day of
April in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and
Three, and of the Independence of the United States,
the Two Hundred and Twenty-Seventh.
/s/ James E. McGreevey
Governor
[seal]
Attest:
/s/ Michael R. DeCotiis
Chief Counsel to the Governor