Economic development on Burlington’s agenda

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(Host) Economic development is also on the agenda in Burlington.

Officials say they’re trying to be prepared for further deterioration in the regional economy.

So Burlington’s Community and Economic Development Office has worked with a group known as the MicroBusiness Alliance.

The city and the alliance have asked what resources are available from commercial lenders, job training specialists and people with technology expertise.

Burlington economic development official Bruce
Seifer says all of those resources will be shared with someone who wants to start a new business.

(Seifer) “These are challenging times but there’s a possibility for companies to get started or expand and this is a time to redouble efforts to help those companies do that.”
(Host) Seifer says Burlington believes there are a number of people who would want to start a business if they lost a job. He says he’s seen it happen before.

(Seifer) “I’ve been through, in my job, three economic downturns. And the entrepreneur that meets a market, meets a need, can be successful. … There’s going to be a lot of interesting innovative companies that get started this time around. I’m working with lots of them right now.”

(Host) Burlington officials say they can’t change the world economy. But they hope the silver lining of the current downturn will be a new company like Ben and Jerry’s or Vermont Teddy Bear Company.

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