Now is time to weigh in on regional economy

If you care what Carson City, and all of Northern Nevada, will look like in the coming decades, this is no time to sit on your hands.

The Northern Nevada Development Authority is surveying residents to find out how they believe the entire region should grow.

The study covers Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing and Storey counties.

At its end, the results will help market the unique characteristics for each area. It might find, for example, that Carson City's future is tourism, based on the V&T Railway and other proposed developments, including a Chinese Workers Museum.

The study may find that industry is a better fit for some areas, while still others are destined to be residential communities.

The survey is the easy part.

The hard part will come after the surveys are in and the focus groups are complete. Then officials from all the counties will have to get together to figure out how to work as a team and decide what the regional economy should look like.

Thinking regional can be a tough concept for county officials looking out for their residents. But the theory is that what benefits one will benefit everyone, since people often work, live and shop in different areas.

Once they've come up with a plan, planners will develop a marketing plan designed to attract young professionals, businesses and higher paying jobs.

But for now, it's up to you to decide what the economic future holds for the area.

To take the survey, visit the Web site www.NorthernNVision.org by April 30.

To sign up for focus groups that will be held in late-April, call 883-4413.

We think taking the survey is kind of like voting, if you don't take the time to study the candidates and the issues and then vote, you've no room to complain about the government.

We urge everyone to do their part.