LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Governor Eric Holcomb visited New Albany in the final days of his final term, reaching Southern Indiana for a victory lap on the state economy. Though he's happy to let his legacy speak for itself, he does have hopes for it, he told a room full of business leaders with One Southern Indiana.
"That economic development is viewed differently," he explained, "that issues like quality of place and quality of life initiatives are included in how we measure economic development."
It's how the governor characterized the success of his pro-business policies, such as reducing regulation. With growth for new and existing businesses booming across the state, the legislature continues cutting the income tax while re-investing into public projects like Indiana's largest hiking trail.
"From New Albany to Mitchell. It's like 62.3 miles," he said, the room roaring up in applause. "It's fantastic."
The business community's applause continued with a 30-year staple in New Albany, Elder Advisors. Senior Vice-President Lindsey Fleming thinks hiring is easier after the state reinvested more into high school business certifications.
"Just in the last probably two-and-a-half years, we've been able to almost double our team," Fleming shared. "We're continuing to hire now as well. So yeah, the growth, Indiana makes that easy to do here as a medium-small business."
It's also attractive for newer business owners like Vanessa Omeokachie who's developing a social app for meeting people called TravBudd. She's outside Silicon Valley, thinking big investors need to give ideas outside of California a chance.
The app works by feeding users a list of events, which they add to their profile, then matches people to one another based on shared interests. "Reimagining human connections," she called it, with the idea of making it easier for people to go out and be together in-person.
Low state taxes, low living costs and the potential for business grants like the $15,000 Indiana Technical Assistance Program give her hope for the business's future.
"They do it once a year. I think it's an excellent program. And I think programs like that are gonna be really great for startups, especially tech start-ups," she said.
And it's Holcomb's hope whoever is predecessor is will continue reinvesting whatever the state gains from the business boom.
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