We are building a 21^st Century Economy in the Oroville Region

Our community is at a crossroad

The ill effects of the most challenging global economy in memory continue to ripple through our state, regional and local economies. The current trends point to a long-term decline in our jobs base; an erosion of the tax base needed to support our community; and a deterioration of the very quality of life we hold so dear.

We believe it is time for the region's business and civic leaders to join together and take action now to build a better, more enduring, and more hopeful future for all of us. To that end we have formed the BayTEC Alliance-a non-profit organization representing a collaboration of members from the public sector, the private sector, academia and the community at large - all from the Oroville Butte county region.

The purpose of the Alliance is to ensure that Greater Oroville, Butte County and the surrounding region can collaborate and compete as a successful region in the new global economy. Our objective is to unify regional action around a common set of initiatives; to leverage the best of the region's existing economic assets—including educational institutions, workforce, infrastructure; to target new, long-term growth industries with high-multiplier jobs; and to create a worldwide awareness for the region's attractiveness as a place to build a business and to live, work and raise a family.

We believe that by working together, the public, private and nonprofit sectors can position the entire region for maximum achievement of its full economic, educational, social, recreational and cultural potential over the next 50 years. Our emphasis must be on innovation, education, technology and entrepreneurial development, all focused on sustainability. We believe the greatest success will come from making the region a magnet for new industries and jobs engaged in growth markets that not only serve an economic purpose but fit this region’s unique culture and sensibilities.

Our campaign has three components:

First, we must concentrate our efforts. We believe the highest yielding and most sustainable results will come from an intense focus on so-called "clean" technology companies and jobs. "Cleantech" is the label for technologies in areas such as renewable energy (wind, solar, and biofuels), end-use and resource efficiency, and green buildings. Related "green" businesses include a wide range of companies offering products, services, and financing for a cleaner environment, healthier lifestyles, and a low carbon economy. To that end, we aim to position the Oroville region as the "CleanTech Capital of northern California."

Second, we want to bring the entire community together in a new way to identify, amplify and expand our region's competitive assets in clean technology-from our colleges and university programs, to our regulatory environment, to our hard and specialized infrastructure, from workforce to airports.

Third, we aim to promote Oroville on a worldwide basis as a center of excellence in clean technology disciplines and a hub of clean tech industry.

In the new global economy, regions compete against other regions-for employers, tax revenues and wealth. Oroville and the Butte County region have a choice to make: either we seek new ways to collaborate and burden-share within our region, to build and grow-together, or we risk the continuation of a long, slow and sad decline that will impact future generations to come.

We prefer the course of bold, collective action-now. Will you join us?