Economic Competitiveness
Conference At WIU

MACOMB, IL — Economic Competitiveness in Illinois: The State of The State, a conference to address issues of serious concern to the farming, business, government and educational sectors of communities in the state of Illinois, will be held April 7 at Western Illinois University.

Authorities from business, government, agriculture and education in Illinois will discuss problems of economic development faced by Illinois communities today and in the future. The future of Illinois communities competing for economic stability and growth within the state, the nation and worldwide will be discussed by panels of experts in the various areas of concern covered by the conference. State Representative Woods Bowman (D-4), Evanston, is a member of the panel discussing Higher Education and its impact on the economy. Bowman is in his seventh term in the Illinois House of Representatives, where he chairs the Appropriations II Committee and serves on select committees on Aging, Housing, and Rules.

Rural Issues panelist, David L. Chicione, is chair of the department of agricultural economics and professor in the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois. He has published extensively on the subjects of farm taxation, state and local public finance, and rural economic development policies.

County Wars panel moderator and discussant, Paul M. Green, is the director of the Institute for Public Policy and Administration and a professor at Governors State University. Green is the author of several books on Illinois politics. His most recent book is Paul Green's Chicago.

The luncheon speaker, Dr. Louis S. Meyer, has a national reputation for directing workshops and conferences on local government and consumer affairs. He has been editor of Food, Farm and Consumer Forum since 1974 and is a lifetime member of Rural America. Meyer founded the Pennsylvania Citizens Consumers Council and is presently the Director of the Pennsylvania Institute for Community Services.

This year's conference is sponsored by Western Illinois University's Institute for Regional and Community Studies and the Board of Governors. The introduction to the conference comes from President of Western Illinois University, Dr. Ralph H. Wagoner and the summation is by Chancellor of the Board of Governors, Dr. Thomas D. Layzell.

Each of the five Board of Governors universities is in charge of a panel. The Western Illinois University panel starts off the conference with Rural Issues. Other morning panels cover Import-Export Trade, Chicago State University, and County Wars — The Economics of Illinois' Changing Demographics, Governor's State University. During the afternoon sessions Eastern Illinois University's panel discusses the Legal and Tax Environment and the Northwestern Illinois University panel completes the conference with Higher Education Issues.

The conference registration fee is $25 which includes a pre-conference reception in the evening on April 6, breakfast rolls, lunch, and conference materials and proceedings. For registration information contact Institute for Regional and Community Studies, Tillman Hall 413, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL. •

Page 20 / Illinois Municipal Review / February 1989