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I am a Buffalo resident and my brother goes to school in Cleveland. Through my many trips to Cleveland I've become familiar with it. It always seemed to me that Cleveland and Buffalo were like two sisters, only Cleveland managed to turn there life around and Buffalo did'nt. Both have similiar max and min population histories. Both had similar industrial heydays. Both even have similar weather and ethnic heritage. Both are smallish cities that seem to have this blue collar monecre (that the residents hate and loath at the same time), but somehow manage to have prestigious orchestras and galleries. With all these similarities, why was Cleveland able to rebound there city (economically and aesthetically) and we are doing worse than ever. Especially when Buffalonians are so loyal to there city and adamant about turning it around--just spend some time on buffalorising.com if you don't believe me.
Last edited by softmachine; 02-09-2008 at 03:02 PM..
Reason: link
Anyway, I can cite three reasons why Cleveland, on the whole, is better off economically than Buffalo:
1. Cleveland is part of an 8-county urbanized area (the Cleveland-Akron Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area), that has three times the population of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls MSA (BTW- your population size comparisons are way off). This area is home to 13 Fortune 500 corporations. Buffalo has none. Cleveland's economy is larger, stronger and more diverse than Buffalo's
2. Cleveland is in the State of Ohio, which is more business friendly and has lower taxes than the Peoples' Republic of New York.
3. The Cleveland-Akron region is home to a large percentage of the population of the State of Ohio, thus it's legislative delegation has more clout in state government.
Buffalo is also run by some pretty skanky people....of which you could draw comparisons to Utica.
They are more interested in dolling out construction contracts to their friends and getting a fat pension than they are to the general welfare of the region.
EXACTLY! I always wish that Buffalo could take some lessons from both Cleveland AND Pittsburgh. And the major problem with a B-LO turnaround---the lovely state of NY. Jobs, healthcare, great business climate, and the people will all go elsewhere if NY doesn't stop taxing the heck out of people. It is VERY frustrating to watch this.
Just remember though, both Cleveland and Pittsburgh are both aging metro areas...and throngs of youth and young professionals have been leaving for a long time...Pittsburgh continues to have a declining metro area population...and I believe the cleveland area as well.
Anyway, I can cite three reasons why Cleveland, on the whole, is better off economically than Buffalo:
1. Cleveland is part of an 8-county urbanized area (the Cleveland-Akron Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area), that has three times the population of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls MSA (BTW- your population size comparisons are way off). This area is home to 13 Fortune 500 corporations. Buffalo has none. Cleveland's economy is larger, stronger and more diverse than Buffalo's
2. Cleveland is in the State of Ohio, which is more business friendly and has lower taxes than the Peoples' Republic of New York.
3. The Cleveland-Akron region is home to a large percentage of the population of the State of Ohio, thus it's legislative delegation has more clout in state government.
Dunlop Tires and very successful General Motors engine plant is located in Buffalo along with Rich Products
out of a list of fortune 500 companies, how can 496 really be anything to cheer about? Dunlop Tires is a small company with stores only in upstate ny and a few around erie, pa. I have looked at that list of companies and have scoured it and most cities get a handful of companies.....our cities upstate, maybe 1, 2, or 3 will be lucky enough to make it.
that is my issue with the area. It seems like the people in WNY just have too much pride or maybe even hope for the area to see ANYTHING that when we do get something like Bass Pro or a few call center jobs---the big picture that ain't all that great is completely forgotten. It is like being hungry and even though you just bought filet mignon and have to drive home and cook it that you dash into a mcdonald's drive-thru for a cheeseburger.......These jobs will pay for some people to make barely there wages. I sometimes wish the people of WNY would stand up and say NO and stop taking the crap that they are getting forced-fed. however, don't ask me how to do that........It seems like the people in other growing cities, even other growing rust belt cities, don't take as much junk as we do in WNY. And further, maybe it isn't even the people----but it is the state governments that actually stand up and say enough is enough. real growth people.
the majority of people who have said NO and we're not gonna take it (go dee snider) actually have had to leave to make the point. So we have this big lack of young people and then the people who have stuck around.....and several of those get excited when low wage jobs come to town and think that the region is on the up and up....................
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