🚀 go-pugleaf

NEW INDEX OF SILICON VALLEY

-------------------------
Joint Venture Releases
Second Annual Index of Silicon Valley
--------------------------------------------------------

The State of Silicon Valley: January 1, 1996

Silicon Valley's economy rebounded vigorously in the past year, and we've
made significant progress on some quality of life measures. At the same time,
we face long-term challenges concerning education and our young people.

Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network's second, annual  Index of Silicon
Valley provides a range of indicators to support this assessment. 

Clearly, the Valley has recovered from its sharp downturn in 1991-92. The
region has added 
46,000 jobs; real wages have risen 2.6%, higher than the national average;
average wages 
reached $70,000 in software, and $68,000 in semiconductors; with just 10
percent of California's population, Silicon Valley generated 34% of
California's exports; and value added per worker increased 50% between 1987
and 1992, far ahead of the rest of the U.S. Business confidence reached an
all-time high during 1995.

These economic results are a great tribute to the innovative skills,
remarkable productivity and 
competitive strength of our people and businesses. Many areas of America are
trying to capture the magic of our entrepreneurial talent and can-do spirit.
Silicon Valley, however,  continues to be the beacon that beckons the best
and the brightest people from every corner of the globe.

But we must avoid smugness and self-congratulation. Our future economic
vitality cannot be left to chance. We have to face reality. There is much to
be done. There always will be as we keep moving the goal posts forward. This
is the nature of a vibrant community.

We experienced mixed progress in quality-of-life indicators in 1995. Vehicle
delays and toxic 
emissions were reduced last year. Crime remained below national and state
levels.

The student drop-out rate, however, increased more than 10%, from 9% to 10%.
More than 
50,000 young people here are living in poverty. The rate of violent felony
offenses among 
juveniles increased. Bad air days increased recently. Housing affordability
was still relatively 
low. Public-transit ridership stalled. Arts patronage increased much faster
than contributions.

Improved education is the number one goal for all of us. We have to forge a
renaissance in K-12 
schools. We must make optimum use of technology to extend the frontiers of
learning for our 
young men and women. Continuous improvement in the business climate and
fostering business 
development are essential. Workforce preparation must be dramatically
improved to provide 
everyone with economic opportunity. Community health needs greater attention,
because a 
healthy community underpins a healthy economy.  

These are major, future challenges, for everyone of us individually and for
our community. Joint 
Venture will continue to lead a collaborative effort in the Valley to build a
model 21st Century 
Community. It can't tackle every problem. But it will continue to provide a
neutral, leadership 
forum where people in business, government, education and the community can
work to find 
answers to many of our challenges. It's an exciting and demanding time.

For a copy of the complete Index of Silicon Valley , please e-mail Joint
Venture: 
jvsvoffice@aol.com

------------------------------------------------------------------
Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network
(a nonprofit, (c) (6) organization)
99 Almaden Blvd., Suite 610, San Jose, CA 95113 - 2002
Internet E-mail: jvsvoffice@aol.com
URL: http://www.svi.org/jointventure

*************************************************************************
*  Transmitted via Virtual Valley Community Network                     *
*  San Jose, Calif. USA  voice: 408.777.8700  e-mail: online@vval.com   *
*  modem: 408.999.0966 (FirstClass, VT-100, TTY)   fax: 408.777.8701    *                                                                                                            
*************************************************************************