Arkansas
Governor Warns Economic Outlook is Uncertain
Arkansas has been somewhat insulated from the national recession, but the state must prepare for the worst, Gov. Mike Beebe (D) told Northwest Arkansas business leaders. "So far, we have bucked the trend nationally with the downturn they're experiencing ... But we're not immune to what's happening nationally so we need to prepare for it," Beebe said during a speech at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce Leaders Conference. Arkansas had a net increase of 36,200 jobs between January 2007 and August 2008, even though state unemployment increased from 4.7 % to 4.9%.
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

California
State Weighs Impact of Global Warming Policy
Business and environmental groups are arguing over whether California's plan to fight global warming will be a boon or a burden for the economy and low-income communities. More than 200 people from around the state signed up to testify at the final public hearing on the Air Resources Board's proposal for cutting climate-warming emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, as required under a 2006 state law. The strategy, first released in June, aims to reach that goal by mandating large improvements in energy efficiency as well as rapid expansion of the state's renewable power capacity. It also calls for a market for buying and selling the right to produce greenhouse gases—a so-called cap and trade system.
Source: The Sacramento Bee

South Carolina
Unemployment Fund Dwindles
South Carolina's unemployment insurance trust fund reserve will soon run out of money, possibly before year's end, the head of the state Employment Security Commission said last week. "We may make it to the end of the year," said Roosevelt T. Halley, executive director of the ESC. Currently, South Carolina has $64 million in its unemployment reserve fund, Halley said, down from about $134 million in mid-September. The state is paying out about $10.5 million a week in regular benefits, he said, compared with a normal payout rate of $5.5 million to $6 million a week.
Source: The Greenville News

Tennessee
Governor Calls Time Out on Economic Development
Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) said he intends to call for a "breather" on Tennessee's efforts to lure major business investments, but not until the state completes deals with one or two large prospects comparable to the $1 billion Volkswagen deal in Chattanooga. While declining to specify the outstanding projects, Bredesen said "the smart thing to do is to honor the commitments we have outstanding, but probably take a little stutter step there." Bredesen's remarks came in comments to reporters after he wrapped up a budget hearing with state Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber and other officials.
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press

Utah
Legislature Weighs Performance Pay for Teachers
Lawmakers are developing a bill that would allow school districts to pay elementary teachers based on performance. The program would base 60% of teachers' performance pay on student test score gains as measured by computer-adaptive tests given at the beginning and end of the school year. The rest of the performance pay would be based on instructional quality as measured by classroom observations; parent, student, community surveys; and teachers' leadership roles.
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

Wisconsin
Milwaukee Plans New Business Recruiting Strategy
Conceding that it's been passive for too long while other Midwestern states actively recruit new industry, the Milwaukee 7 economic strategy consortium rolled out its first-ever systematic business attraction plan. The group hired Deloitte Consulting LLC to come up with a list of companies that the M-7 can approach in two sectors that have a successful track record in the region—controls and instruments manufacturing and food processing.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel