Corbett touts Chester tech center as job creator

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer were in Chester County Wednesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new business technology center.

In his first public speech since releasing his budget plan Tuesday, the governor touted the new Microsoft Technology Center in Malvern as a job-creator. He called it an example of why he increased research and development funding while cutting the overall budget.

“We would like to create an atmosphere, an environment where business creates the jobs, whether those jobs are here in Southeast Pennsylvania or anywhere else in Pennsylvania,” Corbett said.

Ballmer said the center, the 10th of its kind around the country, is meant to spur innovation outside Silicon Valley and Seattle.

“Here in the Philadelphia area, we see so much going on to be excited about, we decided we needed to have this kind of a presence where we can dive in,” Ballmer said.

The center will allow businesses to test new technology and help them develop custom applications for things such as communicating remotely or capturing electronic health records on tablet computers.

During a tour, the governor played a virtual bowling game on an Xbox and watched a demonstration of a smart phone application developed by Drexel University students.