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Governor outlines regional economic push, cites higher‑wage jobs and backs transparency for IEDC
Summary
Speaking at a state briefing, the governor described a regional, workforce‑focused economic strategy that he said has raised average wages for incentivized jobs and sharply cut cost per incentivized job. He defended recent IEDC work, cited a forensic audit and said he is open to additional legislative oversight.
The governor outlined a new economic development strategy for Indiana that emphasizes regional approaches, support for businesses that have already invested in the state and workforce upskilling programs such as "Power Up." He said the administration will judge success by two metrics: wage growth and new job opportunities for Hoosiers.
"There's never been a better time to build a business here in our own state of Indiana," the governor said, arguing the state will pursue biosciences and technology clusters, including a proposed "quantum corridor" linking Lafayette, Indianapolis, Bloomington and Crane.
The governor cited data he said show improved results from state incentives: the average wage of new IEDC‑incentivized jobs has increased from about $36 to $41, and the average cost per incentivized job has fallen from roughly $53,000 to about $16,000. "Each state dollar now is going further," he said, adding that of 7,844 new jobs created through state incentives, 61% were above the national average wage, 86% above the state average and 92% above the county average.
Reporters asked how the governor's plan squares with recent controversies surrounding the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and whether the legislature should investigate why the State Board of Accounts or the State Ethics Commission did not surface certain issues. "That was all from a prior administration," the governor said, adding that he campaigned on transparency and that he is "open to anything" the legislature may want to do if the goal is better results and full visibility.
When asked whether the roughly 10,000 jobs referenced are expected or already created, the governor said, "Those are jobs that have happened since January. So those are real jobs," and said they were created with lower per‑job spending and a higher average wage.
The governor acknowledged prior IEDC reports included pipeline or expected jobs and capital investment figures, and he said budgetary conditions have changed: the administration exceeded a fiscal‑year forecast by more than $300 million late in the year and reported stronger revenue in July–September than forecasted. He characterized the administration's approach as a refocusing on the kinds of jobs the state wants to attract and retain.
On the scope and credibility of prior audits, the governor said the state hired a reputable firm to perform a forensic audit and that the results were laid out plainly. "They just laid it out and we'll ... take every recommendation there and weave it in to how we structure it and our approach down the road," he said, adding he would not rule out further review if additional information warranted it.
The governor concluded by reiterating that he supports transparency and is willing to accept legislative oversight if it serves the goal of improving outcomes. The briefing concluded after the question‑and‑answer period.
