What is holding Sumter back? (buy, safe, manufacturing)

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by bigmig

Sumpters problem is simple. Its in South carolina. Do you know any Conservative/ religious state that isnt near the bottom in every category? Education, poverty, health etc.. Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Georgia.... all conservative all are a mess. This is a state that "celebrates" Strom Thurmond and the Civil War! Need we say more. Rest assured, the same Governor and same state senators will be re-elected. Some folks just cant seem to get out of their own way. People her will vote for good ol boy conservatives if it kills them.

First off: Sumter. No "p". Named after General Thomas Sumter, "the Gamecock". Hence the mascot of Sumter High and, one presumes, USC.

Secondly, while I don't think you're entirely off base in every category, you paint with far too broad a brush. Mark Sanford isn't a good governor. He just isn't. However, Jim Hodges, the guy he replaced, was worse, and he was a Democrat.

Finally, the vast majority of the states in this union have giant problems and can't seem to get out of their own way. Show me a government that is efficient on every front and I'll show you an anomaly.

[Woodlands]

This may be one good thing about slow growth..because housing prices did not get out of control in Sumter, Columbia, and a few other SC cities.. prices have dropped slighty, remained the same or edged up.. In sumter case they increased slightly according to the recent article. I guess slow and steady wins the race???

Columbia area home prices holding - Local / Metro - The State

[Rophlmao]

Growth is not an advantage unless your only goal is to flip your house or are a real estate agent or developer. If your house is paid for and your goal is to live in it, an increase in value just means more taxes.
Sumter hasn't been hit by the real estate bubble that did so much damage nationally, and hasn't had massive foreclosures. It will be a decent place to survive the upcoming Depression.

[rubber_factory]

Originally Posted by Rophlmao

Growth is not an advantage unless your only goal is to flip your house or are a real estate agent or developer. If your house is paid for and your goal is to live in it, an increase in value just means more taxes.
Sumter hasn't been hit by the real estate bubble that did so much damage nationally, and hasn't had massive foreclosures. It will be a decent place to survive the upcoming Depression.

http://www.bls.gov/web/laummtrk.htm

This is from Dec 08, but Sumter looks like it isn't doing so great on the employment front. Looks like the 28th highest unemployment rate out of 369 metropolitan areas. 2nd worst in SC, behind Myrtle Beach.

[Woodlands]

Thanks for the link...This is my concern for Sumter.. even retailers like Goody's closing and other industries scaling back. The economy is not that diverse in Sumter so when it rains in a poor national economy ....it may pours in Sumter. I am cautiously optimistic about the areas' future but if/as the econonmy worsen so will the economic climate which then may translate into a variety of social ills for the community

[rubber_factory]

What is big in the Sumter economy?
Shaw AFB
Agriculture & Food processing
?? what else?

There used to be Peace Textile, Cooper Tools, a few packaging companies, and a chemical plant or two. I haven't really been keeping track. What is the future of the Sumter economy? Is there a proactive plan to educate workers and attract employers for any certain industry?

[Ceezer]

Well, Cleveland Steel (I think that's what it's called) is coming, right? I have't heard much since the big announcement last year, but it should be pretty big in Sumter. Eaton is pretty big, and there's some other decent business out at the Industry Park. So industry might be big for Sumter once Cleveland is in place.

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Don't know how current this is, but here's a list of Sumter's top manufacturing and non-manufacturing employers.

Manufacturing top 20: Sumter Economic Development :: Major Employers :: Top 20 Employers
Non-Industrial top 20: Sumter Economic Development :: Major Employers :: Non-Industrial Employers

Looks like Shaw AFB employs nearly 7,000 and is the top of the list.
Pilgrims pride (poultry plant) employs over 2,000.
Toumey Hospital is next with 1600, then both school districts with 12-1300 each, then the state of SC with just over 1000.
Eaton employs over 800. BD employs 720. After that, it's 520 employees or fewer per employer in both the industrial and non-industrial space.

[Woodlands]

Whats interesting based on the info your provided is that Sumter is mostly a "government town" on the non manufacturing side. Other than Tuomey.. most of the major employers are associated with the federal or state/local government. This has probably provided a steady workforce and a solid foundation for the community over the last several decades.. but you wonder if in todays climate where states and cities are making layoffs because of lack of revenue.. if that will impact the community...though I imagine Shaw would not be affected. On the manufacturing side.. I would suspect that all of the industries listed could be affected and thus impacted by today's economy which would not bode well for the community???

[CarolinaBredChicagoan]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

Whats interesting based on the info your provided is that Sumter is mostly a "government town" on the non manufacturing side. Other than Tuomey.. most of the major employers are associated with the federal or state/local government. This has probably provided a steady workforce and a solid foundation for the community over the last several decades.. but you wonder if in todays climate where states and cities are making layoffs because of lack of revenue.. if that will impact the community...though I imagine Shaw would not be affected. On the manufacturing side.. I would suspect that all of the industries listed could be affected and thus impacted by today's economy which would not bode well for the community???

I don't know that gov't jobs are any less safe than private sector jobs. The whole economy is shuddering.