STATE'S DUPLICATION IS UNWARRANTED

Economic development is an important factor in the vitality of any city, region, or state, or the nation as a whole. It stimulates new employment, expands the tax base, nurtures the existing economy and looks to the future through planning, coordination and cooperation. Economic development is a task performed in many ways by city officials, chambers of commerce, planning agencies, industrial development associations, utility companies and state agencies. The aim of all this effort is to provide attractive opportunities for a stable work force and a growing economy.

There was considerable interest recently when the Missouri Department of Economic Development announced it plans to open five regional offices. Cape Girardeau is one of the cities being considered as a site for the Southeast Missouri office. The question is whether regional offices are needed, considering the costs and duplication of existing agencies.

As for the cost, there is a direct link to Amendment 7 on the Nov. 8 ballot. If the so-called Hancock II amendment is approved by voters, state officials said, the regional office concept would be scrapped because of budget considerations.

Perhaps now is the time to think about the budget, not after voters have their say. If there is extra state funding available to be spent on economic development, it would seem reasonable to think those funds could be channeled to existing agencies rather than adding another layer of bureaucracy.

One of those agencies is the Cape Area Industrial Recruitment Association. If establishing the regional state offices is a done deal, of course the association would like to have the Southeast Missouri office here. But it might produce bigger and better results if the state simply gave the money it would spend on the office to the existing association, which already has a solid working relationship with economic development officials in Jefferson City.

Bob Vaughn, director of the state's Existing Business Programs operation, says the main thrust of the regional offices will be assistance to existing businesses and to provide the same services that are available in the state capital. There is no argument that existing businesses need as much attention and assistance as those that may be considering this area for a new location. But the rock-bottom question remains: Why duplicate something that is already working pretty well?

It is working so well, in fact, that unemployment in the area is extremely low. Perry County, for example, has so few job seekers that economic development officials made a foray into Illinois this week looking for prospective manufacturing workers who might be interested in crossing the river for jobs in Perryville. This speaks well of industrial development for the area. And to think it was accomplished without a regional office of the Department of Economic Development.