Gov. Kathleen Sebelius would spend more than half of her proposed $3.21 million for economic revitalization on improving the state’s image.

Lt. Gov. John Moore said Tuesday the state would spend $2.1 million on image building to attract tourists and new businesses.

Moore said it was appropriate for the image-building project to receive the lion’s share of funding because image was identified as a high priority at each of the seven economic summits he sponsored across the state in 2003.

“The state will turn 150 years old this year, and nobody is satisfied with the image of Kansas,” Moore said.

He said the money would be used to develop and start a multi-media campaign to advertise a revamped image of the state.

Rep. Kenny Wilk, a Lansing Republican who is chairman of the House Economic Development Committee, said he wanted to learn more about the program before endorsing it.

“From what I’ve heard, it is an ambitious goal,” Wilk said. “But I think we can certainly improve upon our image. Who knows, it might be the best $2 million we ever spend.”

Besides image building, the revitalization plan includes proposals to boost efforts to create a large bioscience industry, improve the state’s workforce development programs, spur rural entrepreneurship and revamp business recruitment programs.

The money would come from the state’s Economic Development Initiatives Fund, which is largely funded by proceeds from the Kansas Lottery.

Among the highlights of the plan:

• Biosciences. The Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. would receive $300,000 to create a new bioscience authority. The authority, which would include a mix of members from the public and private sectors, would oversee the state’s efforts to increase the amount of biotech research and jobs in Kansas. The governor’s plan also supports efforts previously announced by Wilk to create a “virtual benefit district” to fund bioscience research at universities, medical centers and select nonprofit organizations. The money would come from bonds issued by the state. The bonds would be repaid with state income taxes on wages from new bioscience jobs created throughout the state.

Neither Wilk nor Moore, though, would say how much in new funding the proposed benefit district was expected to generate.

• Business funding. The plan proposes creating new legislation that will give investors a tax credit for investing in a state-approved network that would in turn invest in promising Kansas-based, startup companies.
• Rural development. The plan proposes to offer a 70 percent tax credit to individuals who make a contribution to one of several regional business development funds in the state. The development funds would provide funding for entrepreneurial efforts in rural parts of the state.