ENLARGING OUR VISION

 

Dream no small dreams, for they have no power in them to stir the hearts of men.    

 -Aristotle

                                                                                                                

We can no longer look at things as we did in the past. We live in a changing, dynamic world, and we must recognize that we are no longer only competing against our neighbors in Jeffersonville, New Albany and Louisville for business – we are competing in a global economy, where emerging economic powers like China, South Korea and India are now able to provide cheap labor while producing quality products and services. We can keep our principles and values, but we must take this reality into account.

We recognize that the Internet is contributing to the transformation of the global economy. Our world has become smaller. Information that once took a trip to the library or the effort of researching in an encyclopedia to access is now available with a few keystrokes and the click of a mouse. Purchases that once took place at shopping malls and specialty shops can now be performed on the Web. The Economic Development Administration estimates that more than 2.5 million Americans earn their living on eBay.com alone, and 20 million go to work on the information highway, managing Web sites and telecommuting to their jobs from the comfort of the kitchen table.

To better prepare Charlestown for the 21st century global economy, we are adding technology to our overall strategy. We believe that Internet access will someday be viewed as a utility similar to electricity or water, and we are working toward providing access for everyone through WiFi hotspots and free DSL access for those who cannot afford it.

In the coming months and years, we will be pursuing a technology park in Charlestown and explore other options to continue making technology a part of our city’s culture.