Photo by Austin Anthony/bgdailynews.com

Leyda Becker, Festival Board member and Bowling Green’s International Communities Liaison announced the completion of a study concerning the economic impact of immigrants in Warren County this week.  Bowling Green was selected last year along with 25 other cities to be part of the Gateways for Growth program. The program analyzes how foreign born populations can be better integrated into local workforces. The current role of immigrants in the workforce was examined as a starting point. Findings included that the foreign born in Warren County paid more than $64 million in taxes, contributed $564.3 million to the county’s gross domestic product and held $170 million in spending power in 2016.

The study also showed that immigrants were responsible for 32.2 percent of the population growth from 2011 – 2016.  Whereas the county’s population increased by 15.4 percent overall, the immigrant population increased 86.6 percent in that time period.

In a new release about the study, John Feinblatt, president of New American Economy said: “Immigration fuels economic growth, and that’s certainly the case in a growing Warren County.  As newcomers help keep the tax base strong and local companies in business, Warren County’s willingness to welcome immigrants is proving a smart investment.”

Read more about the the press conference in the Bowling Green Daily News.  A pdf with more details concerning the economic impact of immigrants in Warren County is included with the article.