Governor Jay Inslee’s priority number one: Jobs for 300,000 out of work

Washington Governor Jay Inslee on Wednesday laid out his ideas to create jobs and boost the state’s economy. Inslee’s “Working Washington Agenda” calls for improvements in education to train students for the skills that employers need.

“Fundamentally, we have to match the demands for specific skills in our new economy with the production of our kids and adults to fulfill those jobs,” said Inslee at an Olympia news conference.

The governor intends to improve the business climate with changes in regulations, targeted tax relief and technical assistance.

Governor Inslee said he plans to focus on a comprehensive transportation plan, bolstering aerospace and exploiting clean energy. He says he’s already introduced eleven pieces of legislation with an eye toward jobs creation.

Inslee called health care reform a golden opportunity for jobs creation in Washington.

“Expansion of Medicaid is a system that will not only reach over 250,000 Washingtonians with health care but will help job creation all across the state,” he said. Inslee said expansion of Medicaid, alone, will create more than 10,000 jobs over two years.

Inslee said 300,000 state residents are still looking for work. “And our first priority, job number one, has to be to provide jobs for those 300,000 people, he said.”