Pawlenty touts ‘clean, green’ jobs initiative

A proposed initiative to create "clean and green" energy-related jobs throughout Minnesota, partially modeled after the state’s sometimes controversial JOBZ program, was introduced Monday by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

"The development of green jobs will be one of the biggest changes in our economy since the industrial revolution," Pawlenty said at the Capitol in the first of five Monday press conferences around the state to announce the plan, which will be presented to the 2009 Legislature. "Green jobs will be an entirely new economic sector, and we want Minnesota to be in the forefront."

Pawlenty said his "Green Jobs Investment Initiative" will "ignite job growth and investment" in Minnesota by offering tax and investment incentives to companies that create jobs in renewable energy, or "green jobs." According to figures released by Pawlenty’s office, a recent study found that 750,000 Americans work in what are considered green jobs, and that number is expected to grow to 4.2 million by 2038, accounting for 10 percent of new job growth in the next 30 years.

Parts of the new initiative are modeled after the state’s Job Opportunity Building Zones (JOBZ) program, which provides local and state tax exemptions to new and expanding businesses. The program has been widely criticized for costing the state too much and giving tax breaks to companies that don’t need them.

It didn’t take long for DFL legislators to check in on the Republican governor’s new plan.

"I am pleased that Gov. Pawlenty is joining the Legislature’s effort to re-energize Minnesota’s economy,="