Before we were losing jobs. I think it is fair to say many of the steps we took created a more favorable business climate. I am not saying the problem is solved but we are a long way down the road from where we were three years ago.

That decline has taken a heavy toll on our industry as a whole -- from songwriters losing their jobs to record stores, especially those around college campuses, closing their doors.

Garbage in, garbage out. If you have a dysfunctional process then good decisions occur only by accident. A functional, open and honest process will lead to many good decisions. You go about it in a methodical way. You are soliciting input instead of rushing or pushing something through.

We've raised the bar. I think people can watch us on television and not be embarrassed by the way their officials do business. Anyone who saw the board of commissioners five years ago and now wouldn't think they were in the same county.

I want to see the openness of county government become institutionalized. If it is institutionalized, it is very difficult to take backwards steps. Open government extends beyond the concept of letting the public know what is going on. It will result in better decisions.

Retaining existing business is just as important as recruiting new business.