| Scranton, PA who has copied the Painted Horses | | | | PA as a hole we are seeing things like steel, textiles, |
| from Casper WY to draw in tourism has a few tricks | | | | mills, mining and energy leave the system and the |
| still up their sleeves. For a town with a lot of old history, | | | | trade offs beiong promoted from the acedemia side |
| it is having some good growth in newer parts of the | | | | include tech, communication and environmental, yet the |
| city and surrounding areas. One college age student | | | | money flow for such things is not like it is in Boston, |
| we had a chance to talk to says most college age | | | | TX, CA and other on the move tech fields such as the |
| kids try to figure out a way to make thier place in the | | | | latest Bio-Tech. Where there maybe schooling for |
| world outside of their hometown of Scranton, this | | | | such, but not a lot of big deals getting done in PA.The |
| maybe why these kids would good family values | | | | rural areas of PA are secluded by toll ways and the |
| choose other cities to make their way in. Scranton of | | | | money flow is escaping via Wal-Mart, which accounts |
| course known for it's history in coal mining and it's | | | | for 11% of our nations consumer spending. The money |
| closeness to the Pocono Mountains, which are still and | | | | flows into Wal-Mart, they pay local wages, donate to |
| East Coast Favorite get away. .Coal mining in PA | | | | charity and the rest leaves the state, although PA has |
| goes way back to the middle of the 1800's and it was | | | | it's share of companies which make things for |
| always dangerous, if you 'google' the mining industry | | | | Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart buys in the USA first, as well it |
| accidents in the state you will see what we mean. The | | | | should and Sam always promised, less and less things |
| demographics are good in Scranton, although it has | | | | are made in the US anymore due to too many |
| been economically challenged as of late. | | | | regulations and laws about nothing such as ADA, |
| Under-represented with minority populations but it is a | | | | OSHA, EPA, etc. Many items are being made in China |
| good market never the less. Of value is the many | | | | now, or some still in Mexico, less than before since |
| industrial parks in the North Eastern Penn area and the | | | | Monterrey is dead too. The money flowing out into |
| good road situation South of town on I-81, well at least | | | | China is not coming back fast enough, due to Patriot's |
| if they ever get done with the project. Scranton has a | | | | act slowing money coming into the country and a |
| bit of an alcohol and drug situation due to probably the | | | | crack down on money launderers thus the money |
| work hard play hard cultural history there. But all in all if | | | | stays out once it leaves. It is noteworthy to look at |
| you are not looking for it you probably would not notice | | | | such issues such as where does the money flow too. I |
| it. We look at Scranton as being a second tier market | | | | am worried for rural America and am upset and feel |
| for our expansion into PA and a worthy market for | | | | sick to my stomach every time I see a boarded up |
| many types of businesses.If you talk with Dan Walsh | | | | small business in a rural town. You see they slow you |
| administrator for the Greater Scranton Chamber of | | | | down to 25 mph for speed trap but at that speed you |
| Commerce (which needs a sign out front perpendicular | | | | see things much deeper than the sign, which is gone. |
| to Mulberry Street so you can find it), he will tell you | | | | You see and feel the tears of the small business |
| about the many new projects going up in and around | | | | person who lost everything, the employees who are |
| town. Places such as the Jessup Small Business | | | | sitting at home with no air-conditioning turned on, you |
| Center and Valley View Business Center. But also we | | | | read the minds of the income property owner who is |
| found projects nearby in the Covington Township, | | | | not getting an ROI on the building he so carefully built |
| namely "The Business Park". Cool name? Simple.The | | | | on his families property which they have owned for |
| Scranton Enterprise Center downtown seems to be | | | | generations. Watching the awning rust, paint chip and |
| an uplifting idea, and there could be some increased | | | | flake, bugs scurry in and out of the broken windows. |
| foot traffic there. As the new parts of the town and | | | | You feel the anguish and sorrow, that is all there is, |
| the box stores are going up in the Bus 6 in the Dickson | | | | that is what you see and feel as you drive by. So then |
| City Limits. Everyone is there, a regional mall, Home | | | | here is an idea, perhaps it might lead someone out |
| Depo, Wal-Mart, etc. Kind of cutting off the buyers | | | | there to a solution to this problem. Here it is; Certain |
| coming from vacation homes in the Poconos. But still it | | | | dollars coming into such towns of 2000 to 12,000 |
| employees residents of Scranton and the other metro | | | | populations, which are not within 5 miles of a major |
| adjacent townships.The Southside of town is ripe for | | | | highway, be given permission to stamp the dollar bills |
| fleets of trucks and distribution along I-81. You have the | | | | coming in at a local municipal court up to 15% and |
| Stadium Office Park, Southside Industrial area, | | | | those bills must remain in circulation locally for three |
| Glenmaura Corporate Center and Rocky Glen | | | | years or until they are worn out and traded in at the |
| Industrial Park. Below that in Luzerne County is the | | | | bank. Or some such similar situation to keep the |
| Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport, Vogelbacher Industrial | | | | money flow going locally. Wal-Mart can then pay the |
| Park, O'Hara Industrial Complex and the Eastern | | | | people locally with those dollars or trade them against |
| Distribution center which looks like a mini-enterprise | | | | purchases from local manufacturers of items they |
| zone or mini-FTZ (if it is not, they should make one | | | | might sell in their stores. Or Wal-Mart could work with |
| there). Being at the I-84, I-81 crossroads and having a | | | | a local bank in the area and have banking on the |
| 380 and 476 Toll-way which also serves as a ring | | | | property so that those dollars could be redistributed in |
| road from the West of town, it appears to be all set | | | | loans to those who wish to start small businesses or |
| up to do business. Perhaps not as ideal a location as | | | | homes. thus improving the economic climate all the |
| the Bethlehem-Allen Town area (being so close to | | | | way around. Wal-Mart wants into the banking business |
| Philly, but Scranton area has it's advantages and while | | | | anyway, they have proved their self worth in the |
| in recession it is certainly going to be a good recovery | | | | distribution business, again this is just a thought. |
| situation since it has a good population base and | | | | Something has to be doen about rural America, it is |
| pro-active approach to the economic development.I-80 | | | | more evident in the back highways of PA than |
| is just a tad bit to far from the Wilkes-Barre Scranton | | | | anywhere. This is a serious issue and it is not going |
| corridor to be of significant value. The best deal for this | | | | away anytime soon. It needs pro-active consideration |
| city would be to do what Tulsa OK needs to do with | | | | from the most brilliant economic minds, otherwise we |
| the toll way to OKC. Ditch it. If the 476 were made a | | | | will need two sets of currency in our country.PA is |
| freeway instead of a toll way and that area were to | | | | seeing overall from what we have seen a change in |
| open up then the straight shot to Philadelphia could | | | | Eating establishments along major highways, changes |
| feed the fire and Scranton would be more easily | | | | in Grocery Stores, and changes in it's supply and |
| accessible to travelers and distribution companies. The | | | | distribution chains. PA is the leader in all kinds of stuff, |
| I-84 is a straight shot to CT, 476 straight shot to Philly | | | | but none of which is breaking any records during this |
| and Allentown, I-81 is a shortcut to I-80 and straight | | | | period. In a study by the Penn State College of Ag and |
| shot to Harrisburg and allows travel around the D.C. | | | | Econ, it was reported that 15 of the 20 major sectors |
| metro mess for those traveling South without the huge | | | | of the PA economy had gone down. Today a few |
| mountain ranges of further East, which is good for | | | | things are up, such as recreational manufacturing, |
| trucking and distribution.Scranton area business people | | | | motor homes, boats and housing. We did see things |
| have bounded together and are hard chargers, they | | | | such as insurance, real estate, wholesale trade, |
| will not give up, but could use some help. The big talk in | | | | distribution and public utilities pick-up in recent years. But |
| Scranton now is of course the incubators for small | | | | if you look at what took a hit Lumber, furniture, travel, |
| business and that is very smart and well received and | | | | and manufacturing in rubber, steel, wood, fabrics, metal, |
| has the blessings of local banks and SBA. The SEC, | | | | etc. it is a little gloomy. PA has good education and that |
| not to be confused with the Security Exchange | | | | has weathered the storms. But really besides the |
| Commission which is destroying America's best | | | | bigger cities, things are not doing extremely well, they |
| Corporations with media headlines and extorsion scare | | | | are just doing okay. But today Okay is good enough |
| tactics, this SEC is the Scranton Enterprise Center | | | | and the folks in PA are not stooping here. We were |
| which appears to be on pace to provide 1000 new | | | | fortunate to talk with an employee deliverer from |
| jobs to the area within five years. The Jessup Park | | | | Dempsey Uniform Services. He said things were good, |
| looks good and when filled up would house about, I am | | | | and that they had had some slow pays, but most of |
| guessing 4500 jobs.In Schuylkill County they are building | | | | thier accounts were Corporate and they were doing |
| a gasification coal plant which would be a 400 million | | | | good. Some companies had gone out of business last |
| dollar project and employ many high paid professionals | | | | year, but others were adding employees, and the sales |
| and countless construction people in the building | | | | have added a few more accounts. Competition had |
| process, that is happening now. Many things are | | | | increased, but they were doing well. We thank him for |
| challenging PA's economy and the Scranton area. First | | | | the insight and here is the pitch;"So Give Us a Try...We |
| the state's economy has been shifting from | | | | Think You will be impressed" .So this company a very |
| manufacturing and plants to retail and services and | | | | good public image company was doing well working |
| many jobs have left the state to NAFTA trading | | | | with B2B services. We believe that this is an example |
| partners and to of course China, ouch. The regional | | | | of what we would expect with hard work, over time |
| growth patterns in my humble opinion are favoring | | | | and doing what you say you are going to do. You see |
| other PA area better due to the closeness of the | | | | in Scranton, bull crap walks. It is about doing what you |
| Metorplexes of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, D.C.. Scranton is | | | | say you are going to do, and a man is only as good as |
| favored as it is close to NYC and New England areas | | | | his word. That is what they expect there, that is what |
| like Boston, Hartford, Manchester, New Jersy and | | | | they are say in Missouri, Show me. Any company in |
| Albany. However there is stiff competition from | | | | the service business willing to prove it, will either make |
| makers of items in all those states too, especially | | | | it or beak it on their integrity, and you know what? We |
| where rural areas are attempting to eak out an | | | | would not expect anything else from the humble coal |
| existence with antique, agriculture, small specialized | | | | miner beginnings of a town grown into a city where |
| manufacturing and flee markets.PA has had declining | | | | you must walk the talk. Scranton they will flat do |
| tax revenues since the mid 70's with trade changes | | | | whatever it takes, it is that kind of a town still.Lance |
| and the early 90's with change of focus. If you look at | | | | Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. |