This year's celebration of our region's 250th anniversary provides us with a great opportunity to set the course for our region's future.

To understand how Pittsburgh can achieve its full potential, it is important first to conduct an honest assessment of our current position. What strengths do we possess? Where are we weak? And what external challenges do we face as we move forward?

My perspective is shaped by my experiences as the head of a major corporation, as the son of small business owners and, perhaps most important, as a father and grandfather. I am pleased to share these thoughts, and I look forward to reading other viewpoints as we chart our way.

A foundation of strength

We earned the right to be named America's most livable city. For most of us, the quality of life here would be hard to beat anywhere else in the world.

Per capita income in Pittsburgh is rising. In fact, it is rising faster than the national average, jumping from 60th to 48th highest over the last seven years while competitor metro areas dropped in the rankings. The average annual income in Pittsburgh today is only about $300 behind Los Angeles, and those dollars stretch a lot further here than they do in many places around the country.

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OPINION 250:

To commemorate Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary, the Post-Gazette Forum section will run articles every other week this year that explore how the region can build on its past to make a better future. Unsolicited viewpoints also are welcome for possible publication in the newspaper or at post-gazette.com. Send e-mail to: opinion@post-gazette.com (Please include Opinion 250 in the subject line.)

• • • Post-Gazette coverage of the city's birthday

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In addition to lower housing costs and more bang for their buck, residents in our region enjoy short commutes and unparalleled arts, sports and recreation opportunities when compared to similar-sized regions. This is also one of the safest places in the country in which to live and raise a family.

Our economy is diverse. That fact alone explains much of our high standard of living. Today, there are almost 1.25 million people working in the region -- about 70,000 more than at the height of steel-industry employment. The diverse economy we now enjoy puts us in a much better position to weather the ups and downs of the market.

Pittsburgh is now a nearly $100 billion economy. Just five years ago, that number was in the mid-80s. More than 100 billion-dollar-plus global corporations call Pittsburgh home or base a major business unit here, making the region a growing center for headquarters, business services and back-office support. All of these facts are clear indicators that the region's economy is healthy and growing.

Real opportunities

The region's universities are producing research that can change the world, including advanced robotics and artificial organs. We have a real chance to seize this moment and become a global leader in new technologies.

Innovation is at work here. We're seeing growth now among companies that span the life sciences, advanced materials and information and communication technologies. Companies, including Westinghouse and Bayer, are expanding in the region to take advantage of the knowledge base and pioneering spirit.

The green revolution among America's cities was born in Pittsburgh when it cleaned up after the era of Big Steel. Known worldwide for its environmental transformation, Pittsburgh is home to globally leading companies in energy and the environment, and we are behind only Portland, Ore., and Seattle in number of green buildings.

We can do better

These appealing characteristics place us in a far better position to attract a diverse array of businesses and families than many other regions we compete against. To accelerate our growth, though, we must remove or reduce certain roadblocks to economic development.

Business taxes are too high. Pennsylvania has the highest corporate net-income-tax rate in the nation other than Iowa, and many employers cite this as a reason for not investing in the commonwealth.

Government is fragmented. Government inefficiency makes it more difficult than it ought to be to do business in the region. There are more than 2,565 municipalities in Pennsylvania -- second most in the nation -- and more than 550 in our 10-county region alone. Our region has more than 30 separate transit authorities or service providers and 850 private and governmental bodies with some responsibility for water and sewer management. This is on top of hundreds of local authorities and boards that can make acquiring permits a nightmare.

Surely, there must be a better way to provide government services that meet the needs of our residents with less redundancy, less red tape and at less cost to taxpayers.

The threat of the status quo

Outside forces -- economic, political and environmental -- threaten our competitiveness. To be a leader in the flatter, more open global economy, we must upgrade those things that make us competitive.

Mass-transportation improvements are a priority. We need a financially sustainable Port Authority to ensure lasting public transit that gets our labor force where it is needed. Achieving this is going to require a great deal of community resolve in the coming months, and Dan Onorato has led that charge by making some tough but necessary decisions. We also have to continue to improve air service at Pittsburgh International Airport, which means supporting airlines that are investing and growing here, as well as working to secure a direct flight to Europe.

Workforce development is critical. And we must do a better job of aligning the skills our children have when they enter the workforce with the skills our region's employers will need in the future. Hundreds of employers, educators and support organizations recently embarked upon an exciting new approach to do just that -- the Pittsburgh Regional Compact.

We also need to attract new residents and new ideas to spur new business. We need to find ways to get Americans and others thinking again about southwestern Pennsylvania as a place to make a better life or to put new ideas into practice. Jobs are important in attracting immigrants, but just as important is an atmosphere that embraces diversity and welcomes the unfamiliar.

The next 250

Focusing on these fundamental issues that significantly affect the competitiveness of the business climate is the key to our region's future. Do we want to be the fastest-growing region in the country? I'd argue no. Steady, manageable growth is better than a boom waiting for the bust. One need only look at the plummeting housing market in Las Vegas -- the fastest growing metro region over the past five years -- to understand that.

Instead, we should strive to achieve a level of growth that encourages businesses to expand and families to take root. Balancing that economic progress with a superior quality of life and other amenities that continue to distinguish our region will help ensure that our children inherit a Pittsburgh that is ripe with opportunities for them to prosper.