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