The troubling philosophy behind Gov. Stein’s economic plan

Stein’s new economic plan has some useful ideas, but its core assumption is wrong

Gov. Josh Stein just released a new economic development plan called “First in Opportunity,” which is a fantastic name for a largely underwhelming report.

This may be the first you’re hearing about it; its rollout got little attention, and it’s easy to see why. Like a lot of strategic documents, it’s a little mushy and full of mind-numbing phrases like “stakeholder alignment,” “integrated service delivery” and — God help us — “wraparound support.”

But reports like these are actually a lot more important than you might realize. I’d even say they’re among the most important things a governor does, and they reveal a lot about a state’s priorities.

Gov. Pat McCrory released the N.C. Jobs Plan in 2013, and Gov. Roy Cooper put out “First in Talent” in 2021. Now it’s Stein’s turn.

A governor cannot personally create jobs, of course, but he can set priorities and divvy up money and set the direction that the state will go. That’s why I look pretty closely at these sorts of things.

Stein’s plan ha…