(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman began a three-day statewide tour to promote the Nebraska Advantage jobs-creation package passed during this year’s legislative session at the Technology Development Center in Lincoln. The tour was organized by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and is the first in a series of promotional events designed to market Nebraska’s new incentives for job growth and investment to business leaders worldwide.

The Governor’s first stop focused on incentives targeting the intellectual property and high-tech ideas cultivated by research and development firms. In Lincoln, the University of Nebraska Technology Park was created to assist businesses in their developmental and operational needs.

Other stops on the tour will highlight the Nebraska Advantage’s opportunities for rural economic development, small and large business development, tourism, worker training, entrepreneurial development, value-added agriculture and a sales tax exemption for manufacturing equipment.

“In this growing global economy, our entrepreneurs need tools to compete,” Gov. Dave Heineman said. “The Nebraska Advantage and its targeted tax credits will help businesses invest in their communities by creating good jobs for Nebraskans. With a new program designed to stimulate growth across Nebraska, and we need to let business owners know these opportunities exist.”

The Nebraska Advantage was designed to help create a business climate that makes Nebraska the preferred destination for starting, growing or relocating an existing business. The long-term goals of the package include promoting the growth of existing companies through job retention, expansion and new capital investments; increasing the number of successful new business ventures in the state; and fostering the development of new products and ideas, while recognizing the varying needs of Nebraska’s diverse industries.

Richard Baier, director of DED, said, “The tools making up in this package enhance Nebraska’s business climate and enable us to support new business, small business and businesses of all sizes. Every Nebraskan has a vested interest in growing our state, because the expansion and diversification of our tax base benefits all taxpayers.”

DED also unveiled a new Web site designed to help promote the Nebraska Advantage to businesses, available at http://www.nebraskaadvantage.biz.

For more info contact:

Aaron Sanderford, Gov’s Office, 402-471-1967
Patty Wood, DED, 402-471-1559