Erie - The good and the bad (Youngstown: for sale, buying a house)

[kpoeppel]

Not everyone, but a significant number. There are some good jobs here, at the hospitals and GE.

I'm obviously not including retired people; there are many of them here.

Go to places like Charlotte, Atlanta, or Houston, and see what a healthy economy looks like.

[kpoeppel]

I was in Shanghai, China about a year ago. A "Communist" Country. Their economy is booming compared to NW PA. Shouldn't that be a wake-up call that the entitlement mentality around here has to go?

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by kpoeppel

I was in Shanghai, China about a year ago. A "Communist" Country. Their economy is booming compared to NW PA. Shouldn't that be a wake-up call that the entitlement mentality around here has to go?

Thats because all the industry has relocated out of NW PA and into China

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by kpoeppel

Not everyone, but a significant number. There are some good jobs here, at the hospitals and GE.

I'll have to mention that to my friends in Erie who are teachers, small business owners, lawyers, bankers, newspaper reporters, college administrators, etc., and see how they feel about that.

[kpoeppel]

I already said not everybody. I'm speaking in generalities. If you drive around the city of Erie, the vast majority of houses are old and run-down. There are some nicer areas in Millcreek Township, but most of the city of Erie is a dump. The only new construction I have seen in the last decade is new retail stores on upper Peach St., which mostly created new low-wage McJobs. There haven't been many new office parks, technology parks, or significant growth in high-paying career-oriented jobs. If you read the local newspaper, editorials continue to blame Bush or NAFTA or globalization for all of our economic problems, instead of focusing on the future.

Why not look at places in the U.S. that have booming economies (like Charlotte, Atlanta, Florida, etc) and try to emulate their policies? What are they doing right that we are not? Or do we still think that prosperity is created via organized labor, picket lines, protectionism, and other power tactics? If so, it shouldn't suprise us that few businesses want to move to Erie.

Just a few months ago, there was a strike at GE, one of our last good employers. Apparently, the strikers haven't gotten the memo that it isn't 1970 anymore. How long will GE put up with these shenanigans when there are many low-tax right-to-work states to which they could relocate? Many of our employers have done precisely that.

If you think Erie's economy is so good, don't let me talk you out of it. Go ahead and move here. There's a reason this area is called the "Rust Belt."

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by kpoeppel

I already said not everybody. I'm speaking in generalities. If you drive around the city of Erie, the vast majority of houses are old and run-down. There are some nicer areas in Millcreek Township, but most of the city of Erie is a dump. The only new construction I have seen in the last decade is new retail stores, which mostly result in new low-wage jobs. There haven't been any new office parks or significant growth in high-paying career-oriented jobs. If you read the local newspaper, editorials continue to blame Bush or NAFTA or globalization for all of our economic problems, instead of looking at places in the U.S. that have booming economies and trying to emulate their policies.

If you think Erie's economy is so good, don't let me talk you out of it. Go ahead and move here.

Erie's economy definitely is bad, but the whole city doesn't look like a dump either. From the corner of 26th and Peach, follow 26th street west to the city limits, and go anywhere from there south and it's all nicer well kept homes, some older, some newer, all the way up to 45th street.

[kpoeppel]

That's good to hear...I don't think I've been over in that part of town much. I did find an area on upper state street that has lots of big, old, brick houses in good condition. It's not to far from the zoo.

[onthamove]

thats why i only buy products made in the usa, if americans continue to buy foreign made products we are only hurting our own economy, this includes cars, detroit is the way to go not imported

[Ohiogirl81]

Talking in generalities can often get you into trouble, because there's usually an exception or two, or 200. Erie's economy definitely isn't booming, but childhood friends who have made a life for themselves in their hometown have managed to stay employed over the past 30 years. Most of 'em are doing quite well.

What exactly is your definition of "a dump"? Anything that's not a McMansion? Drive through the west side neighborhoods between Sixth and 11th streets a few blocks east and west of Liberty. Solid, well-kept, working class neighborhoods. Erie is a working class town, don't forget that. What about the areas around Holy Rosary Parish, or around Mercyhurst College? Same thing. I'd say the parts of Erie that are "a dump" are few and far between.

[boardmanite]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'd say the parts of Erie that are "a dump" are few and far between.

I second that. I have family in Erie and I visit every so often. I've driven all around the city and have never seen anything I would classify as "ghetto". In fact, I believe my grandpa lives in one of the worst parts of town, but even his neighborhood is a walk in the park compared to where I live--Youngstown, Ohio...