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The Boise Chamber of Commerce sponsored an Economic OutlookForum this week, one of the better this year. After attending 3 (Sterling Savings Bank, US Bank and Boise Chamber), this one takes the cake. All 4 speakers(including keynote speaker Glen Heimstra, a Futurist) were exceptional, touching on everything from the energy crisis to transportation, real estate to unemployment, and how it affects our community.
Glen Hiemstra challenged Boiseans to quit making excuses, roll up our sleeves, and get out from under debt the old fashioned way: working hard and not over-spending. He used visuals to illustrate what our economy ‘really is’ and how we got here. By showing how we our eyes have outgrown our wallets in the last 40 years, he wowed the audience and even earned a few laughs. McDonald’s french fries, homes and cars have all tripled in size in the last half century, contributing to our economic crisis. The middle class has coped by increasing debt and converting from a once single income household to a 2 income household. He recommended downscaling our homes, getting out from under debt, and a work/life balance including: exercise, spending time with friends, and cutting down on commute times.
Amongst these personal recommendations were state and national suggestions by all 4 speakers at the economic outlook forum: distribute the bailout where it will make a difference(erecting power grids all over the nation,r educing the energy crisis we are facing), establishing a public transportation system in Boise similar to the MAX in Portland, and encouraging education to our youth(statistics show that only 17% of the US nation’s young adults earn a college degree).
The overall message of the economic outlook forum was surprisingly upbeat as business owners, Realtors, lenders, and title officers across the Treasure Valley were polled and assessed that we have hit the bottom or our housing crisis and will use 2009 to climb out of the hole we dug ourselves. Small businesses continue to move into Boise and we are better off than many communities around the nation. It was refreshing.
The Boise Chamber sure knows how to pack a meeting with over 900 in attendance. The speakers were impressive, and accommodations great(as always at the Boise Centre on the Grove), but the most impressive part was this:
We were challenged to remember our ancestors, that lived through the Great Depression and put on a strong face. Remember that this is not the first or the last time we will survive an economic recession. And use this opportunity to rebuild and position ourselves for prosperity in the future.