Visioneering

06
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Wichita and peer GDP growth

Compared to its peers, the government sector in Wichita is growing fairly quickly, but the private sector is growing slowly. One of the benchmarks used by Visioneering Wichita to gauge the growth of the Wichita-area economy may not be the best measure, and its interpretation requires caution. The measure is per-capita personal income. Its presentation may be seen here. Some of the issues with per capita measures are explained by Dave Trabert of Kansas Policy Institute: Per-capita income is a bad measurement because it rewards cities that are losing people due to domestic migration and punishes those who are gaining.…
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05
Jun
By Bob Weeks

Wichita personal income growth benchmark

When Visioneering Wichita recently presented its annual report to the Wichita City Council, Wichita City Council members received benchmark documents. Whether the mayor and council members actually looked at and considered these measurements is unknown. We do know that Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, as memorialized in the official meeting minutes, praised Visioneering: "Mayor Brewer stated this is one of the smartest moves that the City of Wichita has done because it was the primary catalyst that pulled the public and the private together and laid out a vision for our City." Other council members also expressed enthusiastic approval for Visioneering.…
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31
May
By Bob Weeks

Wichita job growth and Visioneering peers

Wichita has set ambitious goals in job growth, but it doesn't seem that the Visioneering program has produced results. But apparently Wichita government officials are satisfied. In 2004 Wichita leaders created Visioneering Wichita. The self-described goals of Visioneering are "To provide citizen input in developing our future, to facilitate communications so reality and perceptions are aligned, and to create a strategic plan that ensures a quality of life and encourages our young people to live, learn, work and play in our regional community." One of the benchmarks of Visioneering is "Exceed the highest of the annual percentage job growth rate…
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