Creating a secure prosperity is central to achieving the vision. This means attracting new business; helping existing local businesses - especially small ones - to grow; marketing our region effectively; investing in infrastructure, education and training; improving the business climate through lower taxes and regulatory relief; and focusing special help on key local economic sectors.

Our people are our greatest asset and our future. Providing for their education, support, and development I central to achieving the economic and social elements of our vision.

The quality of our natural environment, the purity of air, water and land, and the character of our cities and rural lands are of paramount concern. The pursuit of economic prosperity must always be integrated with the effort to preserve our environment.

Opportunities for prosperity are to be broadly shared among all the members of our community. Shared means, among other things, that the community works to address the particular needs of the individual groups that are not now sharing fully in our prosperity.

Working together is a key to solving our common problems. This includes cooperation across the jurisdictional boundaries of government; across boundaries of public, private and not-for-profit organizations; among representatives of government, business, labor, the faith community, and other interest groups; between citizens and government; and otherwise.

Broad democratic participation is essential to making good decisions that have strong community support and can be implemented effectively. This requires a free flow of public information, the creation of open process, respect for diverse voices, and clear accountability by decision-makers to the broader public.

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