2532

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

No. 8

Appalachian Maryland, Baltimore Metropolitan Area and
Washington Metropolitan Area have development plans which
include significant economic development components; and

WHEREAS, Twelve counties in Maryland belong to the
two development districts recognized by the Economic
Development Administration of the Federal government; and

WHEREAS, Several State agencies, principally the
Departments of Economic and Community Development,
Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Transportation
administer programs and engage in activities designed to
promote economic development on a Statewide basis; and

WHEREAS, The Report of the Maryland Commission on
the Function of Government recommended that economic
development should remain a joint parallel function of
local and State government, with local governments having
principal responsibility for economic development and the
Department of Economic and Community Development having
chief responsibility for assisting and coordinating local
economic development efforts; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Economic and Community
Development has recently completed the first year of
effort for an overall State Economic Development Program
for the State of Maryland, which would constitute a major
step toward better public management of economic affairs
of the State of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, The Secretary of the Department has stated
that one of the features of the Maryland Statewide
Economic Plan which distinguishes it from past
experiences in Maryland and other states is a
determination to engage local officials and residents in
the planning process from the very beginning; and

WHEREAS, One of the initial steps in preparation of
the overall State Economic Development Program was an
exploration by staff of the Department of Economic and
Community Development of local and regional issues,
through discussions with local community leaders,
businessmen, and politicians, with such discussions
designed to result in the acceptance by Maryland citizens
of the economic development process and its resulting
State Economic Development Plan; and

WHEREAS, The final step in implementing a State
Economic Development Plan will be an impact analysis
phase, involving an analysis of the economic development
process on the State's economy; and

WHEREAS, The Short Range/Long Range Plan of the
Office of Development Planning of the Department of
Economic and Community Development has stated that one of
the basic needs which motivated the Economic Development
Plan process was a need for consistent standards and
strategies among substate and regional organizations; and