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10.l INTRODUCTION Economic Development has the potential to create and maintain a strong and vibrant local economy, while further supporting a high quality of life. By encouraging a greater number and variety of economic opportunities, Kittitas County residents will benefit from increased services and well-paying employment opportunities within the community in which they live. Within Kittitas County, economic development can be defined as public and private initiatives that promote job creation, business retention and recruitment, increase goods and services to residents and businesses, and provide job training programs; all of which combine to develop a stronger tax base. The purpose of this chapter is to establish the objectives for economic growth and vitality that will enhance the County's character and quality of life. Supporting economic development and the policies that underline these objectives will assist in the attraction and retention of business and industry within Kittitas County. 10 .1.1 Element Organization The Economic Development Element consists of three main sections. The first section, "Economic Conditions and Needs" includes statistics, which support the County's economic goals and policies. It summarizes existing economic conditions and projected economic needs within the county. The second section, "Economic Goals" presents a general set of comprehensive goals to guide in the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. The final section, "Economic Policies" consists of a set of policies related to implementation of the Economic Development Element, with special considerations given to future opportunities that may arise. 10.2 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND NEEDS 10.2.1 Household Income As reported within the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimate, the median household income in 2017 was $53,163, which is 20% less than the reported median household income in Washington over the same period (Table 10-1). Page 7 21