PRINTER'S NO. 2005
No. 317 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY GORDNER, DINNIMAN, MUSTO, MADIGAN, TOMLINSON,
FONTANA, A. WILLIAMS, KASUNIC, RAFFERTY, M. WHITE, BROWNE,
ARMSTRONG, ORIE, WAUGH, BAKER, BOSCOLA, BRUBAKER, COSTA,
ERICKSON, FERLO, GREENLEAF, KITCHEN, LOGAN, O'PAKE, PILEGGI,
PIPPY, PUNT, RHOADES, SCARNATI, STACK, STOUT, TARTAGLIONE,
WASHINGTON, D. WHITE, C. WILLIAMS AND WONDERLING, MAY 1, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
MAY 1, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Ben
2 Franklin Technology Partners.
3 WHEREAS, Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) was
4 established by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor
5 on December 6, 1982; and
6 WHEREAS, BFTP serves all 67 counties throughout the
7 Commonwealth through its four regional and 12 satellite offices;
8 and
9 WHEREAS, BFTP has provided seed capital, investments in
10 innovation and technical and business assistance to thousands of
11 entrepreneurs and has established manufacturers throughout this
12 Commonwealth; and
13 WHEREAS, BFTP has helped create or retain more than 46,500
14 high-wage jobs for Pennsylvanians in industries that pay wages
15 that are 28% above this Commonwealth's average wage; and
1 WHEREAS, According to a 2003 third-party evaluation of its
2 program, covering the period of 1989 through 2001, BFTP has had
3 an estimated impact on the economy of this Commonwealth in
4 excess of $8 billion; and
5 WHEREAS, The estimated economic impact of BFTP efforts has
6 resulted in the Commonwealth garnering more than $400 million in
7 additional State tax revenue, more than covering the cost of the
8 program during the period covered by the evaluation; and
9 WHEREAS, During its 25-year history, BFTP has been
10 continuously supported by the General Assembly, as well as five
11 gubernatorial administrations; and
12 WHEREAS, BFTP has become the most recognized and replicated
13 technology-based economic development program in the United
14 States and is acknowledged nationally and internationally as the
15 "gold standard" for programs of its type; and
16 WHEREAS, BFTP is commemorating its 25th anniversary
17 throughout 2008; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the Senate commemorate the founding of Ben
19 Franklin Technology Partners on the occasion of its 25th
20 anniversary.
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