Scranton is in Growth Mode (Hyde, Hyde Park: buying, live, moving)

[ScranBarre]

My main issue is that, like it or not, many of the blue-collar manufacturing sector industries that helped to sustain our region's economy (somewhat) after the collapse of the local anthracite mining industry in the mid-20th Century are, as weluvpa correctly pointed out, being disseminated due to increasing overseas competition. The era of going to high school, graduating, getting a job at a place like the now-defunct Techneglas near Pittston, and then working there for decades making $25/hour with great benefits for the worker and his/her family, ample vacation time/family-related leave, etc. is just about over, folks. Far too many are hoping for this sort of era to make a miraculous comeback in our area. It won't.

Unfortunately though instead of relying upon our local higher education institutions to diversify our economy into comfortably-paying high-tech areas like alternative energies research, pharmaceutical research, aerospace technologies, engineering, accounting/finance, etc., etc. our local "powers that be" are aggressively marketing our area as a prime location for call centers, distribution centers, and other low-wage avenues that REPEL our local college graduates like polarizing ends of magnets. I just learned through reading this morning's Pittston newspaper that yet two MORE fellow college graduates from my alma mater are leaving Luzerne County, bound for Maryland, taking their talents with them.

There's just nothing here for college graduates. I was trying diligently for many years to stay positive and look for a silver lining here, but after Rob Mericle, a supposedly "well-respected" developer in our area, LIED TO MY FACE about the caliber of tenants he was going to lure into his Center Point project here in my hometown of Pittston Township I lost all hope for this area. I plan to obtain my Ph.D. before age 30. Why would I want to then return to Pittston to utilize that degree to drive a forklift or unload trucks for $11/hr. in NEPA?

I've been spending the last several days back "home" here in Luzerne County, and I have to be quite frank with you all when I say I can't wait to get back to Northern Virginia. A dog park, a tree house, or an inflatable dam on the river aren't going to lure me back to the region when I am now residing in an area that has amenities numerous times better than those. What WILL attract me back would be better-quality employers; I knew the time had come for me to relocate when I saw people bashing local anti-Wal-Mart activist group Exeter First for threatening the "good jobs" that Wal-Mart was going to bring to Greater Pittston, as well as when I saw locals LINING UP for $20,000/year positions at a Sallie Mae call center. Aim high, NEPA! When this inevitable influx of New York/New Jersey transplants comes, driving up housing prices, property taxes, etc., etc. FAR more quickly than your hourly wages are rising you'll all be wishing you had acted sooner to diversify your economy and to improve your educational attainment levels in order to assist in that effort.

I personally know people who were "priced out" of Monroe County after having grown up there. Want the same to happen to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre? You're on that path right now as long as you continue to settle for "high" $20,000 salaries while housing values RISE.

[weluvpa]

Paul, drive carefully on your way back....I told you so.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

Paul, drive carefully on your way back....I told you so.

You just want me to say it, don't you?

Weluvpa was right all along!

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

You just want me to say it, don't you?

Weluvpa was right all along!

We told you so. All that stuff you mentioned, about dog parks and treehouses and bridges to nowhere are not things that will make people want to stay here. They are only window dressing's to try and make people forget about the real problems the city and the area has. I know people that have lived in the area their whole lives and have told me they would leave in a heartbeat if they could, there is nothing holding them to this area that is so great. The area as a whole is backwards and needs to step up or it lose more people to other areas of the country rapidly. The "brain drain" is here and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. People are still clinging to their coal mining sensibilities here and I believe that is part of the reason that no major industry ever came here back in the day. People around here take those $20,000 a year jobs because there is nothing else out there and they need to pay the bills somehow, with taxes rising and utilities going up in the next year, people are desperate.

[go phillies]

With all of the problems in this area, I still wouldn't want to leave. Now I am lucky, I did find a decent job in the area, I might sing a different tune if I was working at Wal-Mart stocking shelves with a college degree.

Now moving out of the city of Scranton, I wouldn't mind that, especially if it keeps getting worse with crime. But I wouldn't move far.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by go phillies

Now moving out of the city of Scranton, I wouldn't mind that, especially if it keeps getting worse with crime. But I wouldn't move far.

...like South Abington Township?

[loveinbloom]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

...like South Abington Township?

No silly that is me that wants to move there!

[NYRangers 2008]

Originally Posted by go phillies

With all of the problems in this area, I still wouldn't want to leave. Now I am lucky, I did find a decent job in the area, I might sing a different tune if I was working at Wal-Mart stocking shelves with a college degree.

Now moving out of the city of Scranton, I wouldn't mind that, especially if it keeps getting worse with crime. But I wouldn't move far.

I agree. I also have a good job making higher than the average salary. I want out of Scranton too, Doherty has ruined any hope this city had of ever rebounding and it's only going to get worse. The crime will get worse when he cuts more public safety and then uses the money for silly things that won't help the residents at all. I'm thinking the Moscow/Daleville area or maybe something closer in Dunmore. Getting away from that wage tax is a start.

[go phillies]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I agree. I also have a good job making higher than the average salary. I want out of Scranton too, Doherty has ruined any hope this city had of ever rebounding and it's only going to get worse. The crime will get worse when he cuts more public safety and then uses the money for silly things that won't help the residents at all. I'm thinking the Moscow/Daleville area or maybe something closer in Dunmore. Getting away from that wage tax is a start.

You don't own your house right now, right? That's good, because then there's nothing really tying you to Scranton. I won't be getting out anytime soon because I'm sure I would have trouble selling my house, since there's 2 or 3 houses on every block for sale, and the economy isn't great now. I do still like my neighborhood, but there's a bad element moving into West Side, and the worst thing is, the mayor doesn't care about West Side.

[go phillies]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

...like South Abington Township?

No...I would never move to the Abingtons, not my cup of tea. If I was to move out of the city, I would probably look in the Mid-Valley, maybe Dunmore. But honestly, unless my neighborhood turns into the ghetto, I'm not going anywhere.