Goal 1 Scorecard:
Statewide Job Creation

The Arizona We Want will have a strong and resilient economy. It will be less vulnerable to economic recessions and will provide all Arizonans with opportunities for quality jobs and higher wages.

 

Key Indicators:

  • Number of new full-time jobs in Arizona per annum.
  • Number of new High Wage jobs per annum. Note: High wage jobs pay an average wage of at least 133% of the Arizona county average wage. See Arizona County Wages.
  • Number of new full-time jobs per annum from Net Export businesses.
    Note: Net Export businesses generate more than 50% of their revenue from sales outside Arizona (i.e., insulating the state Arizona from recessions, expanding customer markets and increasing Arizona competitiveness in larger, more diverse markets).
  • Number of new full-time jobs per annum from High Impact businesses.
    Note: High Impact businesses generate more than 75% of their revenue from sales outside the state, pay an average wage of 133% of the Arizona county average, and make a capital investment of at least $1 million in a rural area or $5 million in an urban area.


Long-term Objective: Raise Arizona's average wage to among the top 10 in the nation.

At the state level, Arizona ranks 20th in the nation with an average wage of $42,832, according to data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2009. The 133% target wage is $56,967.

 

Sample Strategies: See examples

  • Focus on increasing high impact jobs – private sector jobs with high wages and substantial markets outside Arizona as well as within the state.
  • Pay special attention to young growing companies that typically add more new jobs.
  • Work closely with the State on regional economic development plans.
  • Expand job training programs targeted at High Impact businesses, expanding reimbursements to businesses to include a proportion of trainee wages and exploring linkages to the state's community colleges and universities.
  • Adopt a separate property tax classification that provides tax relief to High Impact businesses.
    Note: New legislation has lowered the corporate tax rate to increase Arizona's competitiveness in attracting and retaining jobs. Citizens supported this policy on the Gallup Arizona Poll.
  • Monitor closely the impact of business tax incentives on job growth and require a Return on Investment in no more than five to seven years.
  • Support annual funding for programs like the "deal-closing" fund.


Developing scorecards to measure Arizona's progress going forward is an evolving process to link citizen goals with other significant efforts to improve Arizona that are taking place across all sectors and levels of government.

 

 


Bureau of Labor Statistics Mean 2009 Arizona Wage:   $42,832
High Impact Target Wage of 133%:   $56,967

  2009 Wage High Impact 133% Wage
Apache $35,646 $47,409
Cochise $40,339 $53,651
Coconino $36,050 $47,947
Gila $34,852 $46,353
Graham $34,095 $45,346
Greenlee $57,420 $76,369
La Paz $28,578 $38,541
Maricopa $45,047 $59,913
Mohave $31,687 $42,144
Navajo $34,113 $45,370
Pima $40,071 $53,294
Pinal $38,300 $50,939
Santa Cruz $37,288 $49,593
Yavapai $32,927 $43,793
Yuma $32,474 $43,190